Bastard Academy
by Euphrosyne
Summary: The world’s most eligible bachelor, the city’s perfect man, the school’s irresistible charmer. Three guys, three classes, one school, one girl. Who will settle for second best?
1. 01

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong to me.

Author's Note: Hey'all! Since I ain't doing a sequel for my first fic _She's__ Going Where!_ as promised, here's a new fic for your reading. Now that Beyblade's over, hope you fans are staying strong! Do enjoy and please leave a review. Life's getting pretty busy for me nowadays, but I'm definitely geared towards finishing this fic. It will be my last. A little encouragement, a few note, some feedback here and there goes a long way. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Don't underestimate the power of your words and the review button below, lol!

Prom's in an hour, but more importantly, happy 18th to my one and only Jen! Hazelnuts for all, lol!

Right on!

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 01

**.:Bastard ****Academy:.**

Summary- The world's most eligible bachelor, the city's perfect man, the school's irresistible charmer. Three guys, three classes, one school, one girl. Who will settle for second best?

* * *

Even with the heat pumped up and the candles lighting the corners of the corridors, the stone walls sucked the air of its warmth, causing Riley to tighten the black cardigan around her neck, instinctively wrapping her arms around her body as she hurried along towards the Rene common room. 

Wine colored carpeting met rich leather couches as Rye squeezed past the furniture to reach the glass display. _'Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable,' _the acrylic eyes of E.T. Valkov and Co. peered into her mind as she ran a finger down the sacred list. She smirked, the corners of her lips curving with a sense of relief.

_'Riley Lovett. 92.7 percent. Ranked first for females, second overall.'_

"Shove aside, runt."

Muscles tensing and ready to retaliate with every sarcastic remark in the book, the girl turned to meet warm oceanic eyes.

"Got'cha."

Shocked at first, Rye opened her mouth to scold the boy but couldn't help but admit defeat. Brooklyn gave a playful shove. "You had to admit, that was a pretty good imitation." Nervous brows skimmed the list before relaxing at the top name.

_'__Brooklyn__ Vyse.__ 97.3 percent. Ranked first for males, first overall.'_

"Didn't expect any less from you. You work so hard, you deserve it."

Looping arms with her best friend, the male smiled modestly at the compliment before escorting her around the mantelpiece. Somehow, Rye managed to trip on one of the lamp wires. Brooklyn caught her just in time.

"Clumsy fool."

The girl's jaw tightened at the voice.

Speak of the devil.

Walking past the duo, Tala uncaringly moved towards the ranking sheet. Surprised he even bothered to show, Rye figured there was an _obvious_ reason why his entourage wasn't with him.

There was a genuine sigh of relief.

"Gonna go drinking and picking up women in celebration for making the 100 cut? '_Tala Valkov, ranked 96th overall,' _can't even beat Brooklyn when it comes to having a larger number."

Brooklyn grabbed Rye's arm and shook his head.

Bitter turquoise eyes glared in their direction before narrowing on the redhead. Tala took a step towards Riley's direction, taking full advantage of their height difference. "You always fighting my cousin's battles?"

On cue, Brooklyn intervened before the temperature shot another fifteen degrees. "Stop it you two," he angled his body more towards Riley with that statement. "Tala, you should start working harder. Grandfather has high expectations for us both-"

The redhead laughed at his words. "Between the two of us,_ I'm_ the one who should be feeling sorry for _you_." The corners of his lips tweaked into a smile as Rye's fists clenched at the meaning. Tala tugged at his uniform with satisfaction. "Humph. I'll see you two around."

Like the master himself, the tail of Tala's suit flared arrogantly at his pace.

Instantly, Rye turned to Brooklyn, hand on her hips. "How can you just take that? Why didn't you-?"

The boy shook his head, signaling to drop the case. "You know how much I hate his rivalry between Tala and myself, and you shouldn't spark it." Like a parent, he searched the girl's face for understanding. "Besides…I feel…"

It was Rye's turn to lecture, the tables had turned. "Don't you even begin to think that way B. Your grandfather is supporting you right now, but you can make it up to him when you become a world renowned surgeon. Mr. Valkov is the headmaster of this place, the least he can do is educate the worthier grandson." She placed a hand on his cheek to meet those soft eyes.

Students of both genders began pouring into the common room in eager wait to see their marks. The common room, though small, was the homely centre of the west-end female dormitories and east-end male dormitories.

Rye quickly released her hand from her friend's face, pausing before checking her watch. "Period two's about to begin, you've got a spare, right? Tutoring Scarlett?"

Brooklyn verified the question with a nod. "She's improved since first term, ranked 53 overall."

"That's still 50 places after her bro." The slim girl scrunched her nose into an evil grin. "Garland's gonna freak when he realizes I topped him this term. Beat him by 0.3 percent."

The older boy laughed, rubbing her back in congratulations. "Good job, Rye. Alright, I've gotta jet. I'll meet you guys later at lunch."

Acknowledging his farewell with a wave, the two departed in opposite directions.

* * *

Contrasting the renaissance-kept residences and common room, the cafe was one of Rene's most modern halls next to the library. With half the room made of glass, natural light poured into the dinning hall like music in a cathedral. Tala and the others made their way to a random table, following the illuminated path. 

"This is embarrassing." Johnny dropped his platter of food on the table before swinging his leg awkwardly over the bench. He took a seat, loosening his tie before resting his face on his palm. The sweet aroma of the meal tickled his nose, but he refused to give in. The one privilege that granted them superior had now been retracted, and like all the commoners at this school, they were stuck eating…plebeian. "Why couldn't you just keep up your marks, Valkov?" For emphasis, he lifted a spoonful of soup before tilting the yellowy liquid back into the bowl.

"Oh stop being such an ass, McGregor. This stuff ain't bad." Ray tore a piece of the moist roll before placing it in his mouth. He eyed the other redhead as he joined them.

Planting his forehead against the table's surface, Tala refused to make eye contact. "I did keep up my marks, you selfish bastard, but the old man wanted me to improve." He sat up, crossing his arms with frustration. "Doesn't help when he's constantly comparing me to Vyse. Every friggin person in this building is the son or daughter of so and so. Those herds of overachievers. Everyone's out to get me."

A magazine dropped in front of him. Tala shifted his head to meet the face of a perky blond.

"Mum had extra copies lying around so I grabbed one for you. There's an article on page 74 'bout your precious Melisande. We managed to get a good pic of her coming out of that all girls private school in Scotland. Worth good bills."

Enrique's mum was the founder of the extremely popular _'Attitude'_ magazine.

Tala's eyes lit up before he even reached the godly page.

"Give me that, you bitch. You have a friggin girlfriend. Melisande's off your list."

"What's her name…" Ray taped his chin, "You've been dating her for almost two weeks now."

Smirking, the redhead casually flipped a page. "She called me a pervert last night…" Johnny gave the man a sly slap on the back.

"-That's a pretty big word for a nine year old."

Over the years, Tala had learned to control his anger when around the irritating female. Just looking at her sent boils to his ears. She was a sculpture of nerdy perfection. The freshly pressed blouse and knit vest, the pleated skirt kept at length, and the white knee socks and Mary Js. Every single hair was pinned back in place to reveal smart grey eyes. What irritated him most was the platinum pin clipped proudly across the heart of her cardigan- the school logo, an icy teal dragon spiraled around a planted sword against a fiery red phoenix, wings abroad. She and her possy, for whatever reasons, worshipped this place like a sanctuary, and that was what he hated most about her. Like seriously, get a life.

"Miss Riley _Lovett_…your mum some twisted French porn star or something?"

Instinctive, Johnny laughed first, but stopped when the athletic torso of Garland stepped into play. "Hah, um, I mean, Tala, knock it off and just, um, let it go…"

Garland's charcoal orbs narrowed questionably on Johnny before elbowing Rye lightly in the arm to leave. Seconds passed. Everyone waited for the bright orange platter to snap under the male's incredible strength.

Rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, Enrique decided to end the silence. "Come on, let's go so you can eat your lunch and edit my latest masterpiece." The blond was aspired to follow in his mother's field. Journalism.

Sensing the tension, but more so bored, the group left.

"What the hell was that, McGregor!" Tala's voice crackled like fire.

"Give him a break, Tala. He's trying to make a good impression, most likely wants to get into the dude's sister's pants. No doubt, mini-Garland _is_ one's of the hottest girl's around."

The built boy tried to convince the others with a macho laugh, but deep down, he knew his feelings for Scarlett were deeper than just a good lay. How the hell he would express himself with that protective, potentially lethal brother scanning her every step?-he had no shitting clue.

"You're gonna blow a nerve thinking so hard, J." Ray saw pass the exterior. "Don't try so hard. Win the girl over and Garland will have no choice but to consent." The Asian smiled.

"Ray's having enough trouble '_wooing' _Mariah as it is. Don't take his advice. Stick to the code." The Russian addressed his friend with a fork. "Everyone here's living a lie, trying to be like regular day folk, but we know better. They're all of status, but until they voice their own titles, we're stuck playing their sick game of pretend."

Johnny raised a confused bow. "That's some pretty analytic insight."

Ray sighed. "That's just his way of promoting sex. You live a lie, you get a lie. Did you forget? Kai's welcome back party is tomorrow."

Rolling his eyes, the redhead lowered his head with subtle laughter. Should've guessed. Tala was as bastardly as they came. Thankgod the blue-haired one was returning to keep him in check.

"Blue's backing from Paris, right? Heard those French chicks are pretty kinky."

As always, Kon's theory was proven correct. Tala was simply a shuttle of sperm.

* * *

Opening the covers of the messy notebook, Enrique flipped the pages to the bookmarked tab before sliding the fic towards Rye. 

"I'm still working on it, but I wanted to get a few pointers before plowing too deep." He hovered over the female, tagging her every expression.

"That would explain why it's still untitled," added Garland, tossing the other two members at the table- Robert and Kenny- light nods before sitting.

"What do you think?" The blonde ruffled his already messy hair.

Squeezing the boy's arm with encouragement, Rye lifted her head to meet large blue eyes. "It's good. It really is, but let me get it straight so we're both on the same base." She paused, flipping back to the first page. "So, um…one day, Naiema is walking home after her last shift of work when out of _nowhere_, Akkiko and Satsumi come screeching around the corner in their mini-patrol car, run over Naiema, and drive off giggling insanely. The end."

Praying for Enrique to catch the subtle hint, Rye came face to face with an eager baby boy awaiting her.

Taking in a breath, she searched for a more direct, yet still relatively soft, reply. She rubbed his cheek with a small smile. "Plot, my love, is a four letter word."

Enrique's eyes were the windows into his mind and soul, and instantly you could see those wheels turn. "Plot…Why didn't I think of that! I've gotta head back and write this down before I forget." With a peck, he leaned in and thanked Riley with a kiss before running off towards the dorms.

There was silence.

"Why in bloody hell do you continue helping him if his stories are crap!"

"She's a business gal, she's good with languages," answered Robert, eyes glued to his encyclopedia of law.

Kenny nodded with silent agreement, fingers ceasing to pause on his laptop.

"And because she's nice."

Placing a large textbook on the table, Brooklyn and Scarlett joined the table.

"Someone should really just end that poor fool's misery before it's too late. It's our last year, set him free so he can find something he's actually good at."

"Lighten up. If he enjoys writing, I say let him write." The dark-haired beauty leaned in to snag a veggie stick off her brother's plate.

At his girl's voice, the male's mind switched to another topic. "How was tutoring? I never doubt Brooklyn's ability, how you holding up?"

"Ranked 53 overall."

"That's a three place jump."

"I slipped to seventh this term." The techie adjusted his glasses with a disappointed sigh. "Robotics club took up so much of my time."

"Secure at eighth. I'm expecting the law exam to bring me up," Robert replied confidently.

"And how 'bout you, Garland? What's _your_ ranking?" Rye grinned anxiously, smiling at the other girl for support.

Reluctantly, the boy answered. "Ranked _third_ overall. You beat me, alright? Congrats. Humph."

The gals high-fived.

Not wanting to interrupt the fun, Kenny slipped in a suggestion. "Did'cha all hear about that welcome back party the guys are holding for Kai? It's an open invitation. Everyone's invited."

"Kai was off?"

"Business trip with his father. Paris." Recited Rye a little too fluently, "Or so I heard."

"Tempting…but no. We've got study group tomorrow. With Rye's dorm closest to the library and Ming Ming out at the party, we've got the whole place to ourselves."

"Aw, look. Kenny's face's flushing at the mention of that girl's name."

"Come on, stop teasing." Looking down at the foot of his shirt, the small boy wiped his glasses. "Forget about the party, it probably not a place people like me would be welcomed at anyways…"

Rye wrapped the younger boy in a hug. "Nonsense. When we're all rich and famous and they're pleading to work under us, they'll be dying to attend _our_ parties. We'll have nice sparkly too, not cheap stuff like Tala and his fags."

"Okay, okay, enough daydreaming. Did you want to pick up some lunch before class, Scarlett?" The girl nodded. "What do you want? I'm heading over there."

Memorizing her order, Rye rose to accompany her friend. "I'm bored, B. I'll tag along and help ya out."

Brooklyn smiled at the suggestion. "Sure, let's go."

* * *

Yea! A nice short, straightforward chapter to drive the mood. I wanted to ease into the fic with some history on the school, (Rene, pronounced the French way. FFnet seems to be slicing my accents. Enrique's mum's Magazine Company, _Attitude_, is also pronounced _en Français_. Classy, lol.) and the relationships between the characters before the _real_ fun begins…Cackle cackle cackle. 

Do drop me a note to whether you think I should or should not continue. A little _blue_ in the next chapter if you do, hehe.

Please read and review!


	2. 02

A/N: Summer vaca, whoot! This gives me more time to write, and hopefully more time for y'all to read and review! As promised, here's the next chapter, and ohyes Happy Canada's Day!

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 02

**.:Bastard ****Academy:.**

* * *

Smearing the smooth charcoal with the tip of his finger, Kai blew the excess powder before dusting the corner, holding the sketchbook out at arm length to examine under the light. 

Being away from home was always a pain in the ass. Trapped in a room full of geezers displaying the latest line of toupees while your father conferenced in a foreign language…? It really was the crème de la blah blah blah on his cake.

Only Mr. Hiwatari had the capacity of screwing over France. But Kai wasn't about to complain, at least he got a few good frames of the place. Paris really was the city of lights…

On top of being jetlagged, the blue-haired boy had half a dozen courses to catch up on. Tala wasn't exactly the most reliable creature when it came to business/eco assignments. Then again, the old man did frighten the teachers into cyberspacing his work to him; business, after all, was thee most important course, his work, and soon to be his entire life.

Ray usually had pretty good English lit notes, but rolling into the last semester, summatives were on the way, applications for universities, scholarships, renting grad gowns, the formal; everything had a deadline.

Art took him away from that, away from the blue collars, dates, reminders, and rules. Art permitted creativity, accepted expression, and tolerated opinions. It was an intimate class, a small ensemble, lots of personal space. Like his father, many parents of the Rene students frowned upon the practice of such leisurely habits, but since art was a notable aspect of upper society, the course was pending, dangling on the rare few students of talent. There was an air of maturity, sophistication, and class amongst the students and teacher alike. Restraint- everything was channeled into the paints and mediums. Art folk were calm, good people…

It reminded him of his mother before she passed away. He was ten. He would fall asleep, soaring on the memories of him and her face painting, smearing blue paint across each other's cheeks, then laughing it off as she chased him with a hose…

Loud music spewed through the door as Tala stepped in. Reality seemed to amplify itself, the music, the laughter, even the ice cubes knocking against the sides of his friend's glass, sounded with more intensity,

Kai waved for his best man to shut the door.

Strolling towards one of the corners where a velvety red cloth draped over a mysterious easel, Tala's curiosity got the best of him as his fingers reached for the rich fabric.

"No drinks in my room. Touch my work and die." The blue-haired boy's tone remained its usual calm air.

"Fine, fine," replied the redhead defensively before settling his drink on a stack of textbooks. He wiped his hands on his shirt. "See, they are clean. Just a little peek…"

Contours of a bridge over crystal water in a scenic garden caught his attention before an alarm clock hit him square in the face.

"-Jesus Christ! That's it, no compliment! No shit's worth my-"

The door swung open two more times.

Kai let out an annoyed groaned.

"Here you two are. You guys are missing out on all the fun. Ming Ming just arrived." Johnny was not tipsy, but the way his brows synchronizing raised with his beer bottle really did threaten the sketchbook Kai had on his lap.

Instinctively, the boy closed the album and tucked it safely beneath his pillow.

Sensing the tension, Ray shook his head before passing his friend a glass of ice, lime on the rim, and a can of pop. He hummed the jingle, "You put the lime in the Coke-"

Ray was to become the world's next renowned chef.

"Don't even start with that commercial, Kon. My head hurts."

"-An alarm did hit you in the face-"

"Why are you guys throwing me a welcome back party at _my_ place? Do you even know half the people here?"

"Half? Yes."

"Tala!"

"Okay, okay. It's all g_oo_d!" The redhead stretched the vowels on that last word. "We should celebrate the halfway point on this academic road of success! Besides, remember the first and last party I had at my place freshmen year?"

"Oh man, your parents were jokes!"

"I thought Mr. and Mrs. Valkov were nice. _Interesting_ folk, quite entertaining."

Kai didn't bother to agree.

"It's your night," a glare burnt his shirt. "Fine. It's _my_ night. Be supportive. Away from the watchful eyes of gramps, away from my cousin, that bastard Brooklyn and his bitch, Lovett…"

"You mean, Riley?"

The boy ignored the correction. "Forget about her. Let's talk about _real_ ladies. People like my cousin and his crew don't belong in our world. They're 'proper,' they memorize the ingredients in beer-"

Johnny gave his pal a good slap on the back before clanking their glasses in festive agreement.

"Cheers to the ugly fools who couldn't be with us tonight-!"

"Do you realize Brooklyn has the entire female population in the palm of his hand?" All eyes turned to the Asian who had a less than impressed expression on his face for their behavior. "He tutors all the girls-"

"In their rooms? On their beds?" charged Johnny excitedly.

"Yeah right. He spends half his life in the library-"

"Seriously, Tala. He tutors Mariah, Ming Ming," he gave his pal a suggestive glance, "and Scarlett," pointing at Johnny. "Think about it. Maybe he's got you guys all figured out. He could be ahead of the game for all we know…"

"…Damn…"

"If you guys are gonna get horny, I'm gonna have to ask you all to leave-"

"Topic change." Tala raised his arms in surrender. "Tell us about the kinky French chicks-"

"That's the same bloody topic, just on a different continent!"

"-How was the cuisine?" offered Ray, a question of actual substance.

"Grabbed a few menus with me. Can't pronounce half the stuff, but you wanted'em."

"Thanks man." The Asian gave his friend a grin.

"Boring! Can we talk about me now?" Tala gestured to himself before emphasizing his status with a few muscular flexes. "The old man's punishment for my shitty grades includes a lukewarm weekend of brats at the Lee Estates. Ugh, babysitting. Any notable escape route?"

"Whoa, the Lee Estates? That ain't no punishment."

Kai raised a brow with interest at the drop of the name.

"Isn't that where your celeb crush, teen phenomena, Miss Melisande Lee lives? What are the chances…?"

"-As slim as escaping from the kids."

Tala scowled at the truth. "I don't like kids. They're dirty, manipulative, and evil-"

"Sounds just like you."

"Talk about being a child at heart."

"Shut up, guys. To top it all off, guess who I got paired up with for the economics presentation?"

"Stop complaining. Economics is one of the toughest-"

"Riley Lovett. That bundle of…" Tala's face scrunched up with disgust as his hands made weird choking movements. "Nerdy rejection in the form of…"

Less than three hearts felt sorry for him.

* * *

"Why?" The question was simple and straightforward. "Are they punishing me for my brilliance? Butchering me because I've achieved the unattainable? Have my waves of knowledge killed someone? Why him? _Why?"_

"-Moving on. This week's trivia competition is against Le Marc. We've got a lot of studying to do. They're definitely not to be underestimated-"

"My cousin ain't that bad…"

"He tried pushing me down the stairs." Kenny adjusted his glasses.

"Ming Ming's uniform was folded to a record length- very short." explained Scarlett at his brother's silent reaction.

"Underpants...?"

"Highly questionable."

"How do you put up with her, Rye?"

Garland and Scarlett dissed it out.

"We're at truce, we've found mutual ground. She does her thing, I do mine. She's relatively quiet now that she's figured out text messaging. Sure, there's shameless gossiping and random giggling, but she's rarely ever in the room. You guys are here more often than she is!"

"Ming Ming…" Kenny leaned against the side of the bed with a dreamy sigh. "A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet…"

The group rolled their eyes. Everyone was sprawled in the area between the two beds.

Passing Enrique's notebook across the room, Brooklyn couldn't help but agree with the mass. "Kenny, don't take this the wrong way, but I think you can do better. Ming Ming? She's not exactly the brightest creature on land. She didn't understand the concept of roman numerals. She thought we fought in world war eleven…"

There was a pause before soft giggling sounded the room. Brooklyn was serious.

"It doesn't matter. She's going into entertainment. She's got talent."

The boy thought it best to let the subject slide.

"Enough about Ming Ming. Rye, did you get my notebook?"

Garland waved the leather bound pad in the air for the blond to see. He shook his head. "Enrique, when it comes to you, style is everything. Be creative. Spell the character's name differently every time, get your physical descriptions wrong. Start the story in present tense, then switch, without explanation, to an extended flashback scene. Typos, grammatical errors and run-on sentences are perfectly okay. Or my personal favorite-"

Rye elbowed the boy in the side, grabbing the book from his hand. "So," she smiled at Enrique, skimming the first few lines of the work, "One day, an ordinary guy is walking down the street. He gets hit by a kangaroo and wakes up fifty years in the future of Mega Tokyo…" There was a chuckle of satisfaction to her side before she elbowed the arrogant boy once more. "Um, three paragraphs later, he is a full member of, _wha__-?_ Fighting against…Okay, whoa. Slow down. You've got the whole plot thing down this time, but while some fan fiction is made to be fast paced, the leaps you take to get a story moving right away may strain credibility with your readers. Nothing's wrong with taking a little time with your fic. You're not gonna do much for the story or your readers if you cram a saga-sized plot into a few measly pages."

Brooklyn shrugged, turning to the pink-haired girl with a smile. "What does she know? I particularly liked the part with the kangaroo."

Mariah blushed.

"Anyways, guys. Friday's the Parents Night Bash. I ain't gonna be in, so Scar, you're gonna have to tackle mum and dad on your own." The male nodded towards his sister. "I think they're gonna be surprised. Good surprised. I'm proud of all the effort you've been putting into your studies. Thanks Vyse, for all the help." He wrestled a hug from his sis.

"On the road again, Garland? Damn you for being so athletic. You and your competitions. I want a trophy." Rye crossed her arms.

"You've got your talents. But holdup, are your parents attending the bash tomorrow night, Rye?"

"Nope. Mother's still an ass. She doesn't give a shit."

"Haha, that's a pun."

Garland shot the blond a look.

"She sent her secretary with a camcorder last time," teased the Asian beauty.

"We've gotta meet this woman sometime."

"She's such a bitch, doubt she would have time in her 'busy schedule' to meet you all." The girl growled. Deciding to change the topic, Rye placed a hand on her best friend's lap. "Screw her. Now I can keep B company…"

For the two other people who understood Brooklyn's family situation, they kept an apathetic expression. No tension, whatsoever.

The redhead gave his pal a small smile before kissing her on the forehead. Rye returned the affection, rubbing his back before giving him a hug. He was like the brother she never had.

"-Ray wanted to escort me to the bash!" blurted the pink-haired girl at the intimate scene.

"Is that so?" Brooklyn turned towards the girl, looking over Rye's figure by resting his chin on her head.

Mariah waited for his follow-up, a reaction from the headmaster's grandson.

"I like him. He's a nice guy."

She slumped with disappointment.

"Oh, come on, Mari. Ray's cute. An excellent cook! You're gonna be so spoiled. Have you tried his desserts?"

"Sometimes I wonder why he's a part of Tala's goons-"

"Rye," lectured the redhead, "My cousin ain't that bad. There's something about him. I can't explain it. Family, maybe? Kai on the other hand…"

"What do you have against Kai-?" Rye was cutoff.

"Brook's too nice if you ask me. They're all a part of the same clique, the army of shanks. You agree, don'tcha, Mari?"

The girl's face flushed at the first part of the question, but went unnoticed. Timidly, she replied, "Sure…"

"I particularly dislike that McGregor fellow. He's tagging me for the same football scholarship! Who does he think he is?"

"Brother…"

"Be careful of yourself, Scarlett. His eyes were resting a little too south from your face, if you ask me-"

"Garland…"

"Let's see how he'll play football without his retinas-"

"Garland!"

The group shook their head at the boy's less than competitive nature.

* * *

Chapter two. Complete. Hope you all enjoyed it! Things are slowly starting to fall into place. Any curious bits you don't understand, hehehe? Drop me a note. I tend to write my fics as if the reader where an invisible character who suddenly dropped in on the set. Do tell me if I'm running too quickly or if something comes across as being unclear. 

Authoress' hint: _Relationships_ play a very large role in this fic…like the business world a few of the characters live in, connections and networking can make you, break you, or save you. Every character is linked to another in some kinda way…hehehe.

Which brings me to add, cookie to anyone who can correctly crack the summary for this fic: _"The world's most eligible bachelor, the city's perfect man, the school's irresistible charmer.__ Three guys, three classes, one school, one girl. Who will settle for second best?"_

Happy guessing! And do make the most of your holidays!

Please read and review!


	3. 03

_Gigantic hugs to ariotlatio, arevelo, DPhnix, Beyblade-gal, Dryu, hazelnuts, Midnightmare, Bloodyshadows, toisanmui, and Jixnce for reviewing. A cookie to cassyw and WindWitch for correctly cracking the summary for this fic. Yea! (And sorry girl, Mystel probably won't be in this fic…sad face)_

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 03

**.:Bastard ****Academy:.**

* * *

Pressing her against the locker, Johnny took her hand in his before leaning in for a kiss. 

Scarlett giggled. "Stop. Go take a shower. You just had practice." She broke from his grasp, pushing his back towards the stalls.

"Everyone's gone. It's just you and me. What, Scarlett, you worried about getting caught?" He was about to initiate a tickle fest.

"No, ep! Sh…shush! Did you hear that?" They were standing right in front of the locker-room doors. "Someone's advancing from the outside. Duck!"

The footsteps in the hall got louder before they heard any voices.

"So, Garland? What do you think? I tried to innovate all the elements of art into this one. Plot, speed, rhythm. It's got it all!"

Johnny made a dash at the name. Scarlett held him in spot. "Shh! Don't make it any more obvious! He doesn't have practice today. Garland's not gonna come in. Just don't move."

Enrique began jumping in eager wait for the critique.

"_A song fic?_ Seriously, Enrique, what could be more plausible than to have a 45 year old character listen to the latest crappy song from some flavor of the month boy band and muse on how it really captures the essence of his romantic situation? Sure he's your father's age, but that's no real reason to assume he doesn't have the same taste in music as a 14 year old girl. Remember, song lyrics are a fine substitute for dialogue, action, and plot."

Johnny rolled his eyes, mocking chatterbox movements with his hands. The Asian slapped him to hush.

"…You don't like it then? What should I change? Was it the bit with the butterfly?" There was a sigh as the older boy began to explain in plainer words. The voices dimmed as they turned the corner.

"Your brother's gonna dissect me like that too, isn't he?" teased the redhead. Johnny stopped however, when he saw Scarlett, frozen in place. "Hey, you alright?"

She continued looking off into space. "Do you know how much trouble I could've gotten into if I were caught?"

_"…if **I** were caught…" _That sort of stung. "Baby, relax."

"No, Johnny. I'm really scared. You know how my brother feels about you."

"Hey." He steadied her by the arms, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "When we began, we said we weren't gonna do anything if either of us felt we weren't ready. If this relationship gets too weird, than it's over. We agreed upon that, and I'm keeping my word." She nodded. "Now," he took a deep breath, more to reassure himself, "I'm gonna go shower. We still up for ice-cream?"

Scarlett slowly forced a smile. "Yeah…yeah, we are. That was a good game. You deserve a reward."

He pushed back her hair. "I'll meet you by the gym then?"

"Sure…you bet. My treat."

Johnny laughed, "Your treat now, eh? That's why I love you."

Meeting him for a peck, the girl gave him a light squeeze before heading out the door.

Taking in a moment before sitting himself on the bench, Johnny sighed. He couldn't make things out anymore. It was getting harder by the day…

_Was it suppose to be like this…?_

* * *

Balancing the stack of books on the water fountain, Rye rose a hand towards the yellow piece of paper clamped between her lips. Folding it in half against her knee, she carefully tucked it into her pocket. 

It was ten o'clock, the recommended back-to-dorm time, and though hesitant, the librarian had held the doors open a few minutes longer for her. Rye was determined on finding that book. She doubt that lazy scum, Tala was gonna do anything for their project.

Walking directly towards the headmaster's office from her studies, she was slightly surprised to find the lights still on. The secretary had left minutes upon her arrival, but like every year around this time, Rye came for another reason- Mr. Valkov's signature on the yellow slip, a form that would withdraw her from Parent's Night, yet still granting her permission to leaving school grounds for the weekend.

_"Ms. Lovett won't be joining us again this year?" His voice was slow and hoarse with age._

_"Mother is in __Rome__ right now. She claims she needs to finalize the shoots for the ads before marketing can really dig in. The crew is paid by the hour and the leads are being divas. Doesn't make the movie less of a hit nonetheless."_

_Leaning back to examine the girl's expression, the headmaster was more or less use to her dry tone. He never doubted her ability to recite events to the dot. "I really would like to speak with your mother again, just once. You are graduating this year."_

_"My marks are fine."_

_"This isn't about marks, Miss Leigh." _

_Digging her nails into the foot of her skirt, __Rye__ looked away._

_Sighing at her response, the graying man opened a folder and removed a paperclip before flipping the page. "When your mother first brought you here, we were told to focus on improving your behavior, your interaction with others."_

_"Mother is only concerned with my 'safety,', taking me out of classes to pose for ridiculous pictures of me leaving schools in __Scotland__. You want to talk to her? It's a pretty long wait with her publicists."_

_Mr. Valkov was silent._

_"I think we both know she's less than concerned for my well-bring. One of us just hasn't accepted that fact yet." __Rye__ pushed the yellow slip closer._

_Laying out the pros and cons, the headmaster signed the sheet._

_"Thank you, sir. This really was a nice chat. Do have a good night." Picking up the books, __Rye__ stood and left. _

Friday, Parent's Night, would be spent at some boring business premiere, while leaving the next morning to spend time with her grandfather at the estates. That, she _was_ looking forward to. If all went well, she would get a lift from Allain back to Rene, spending Sunday with B before the herds returned the night of.

Simple schedule really. A nice stab to the heart before fun fun.

Lunging towards her dorm door, Rye balanced the weight on her knee before fumbling with the keys, tucking the books under her chin, she steadied herself against the door before turning the knob with her hand. Her back guided her into the room.

"Oh, Tala, yes yes! Right there. Oh…oh…oh, ohmygod! Rye! What are you doing back so early?" Ming Ming bounced out of bed, taking the bed sheet with her.

"Ming Ming! What, what are you doing? Jebus! Leave the bed sheet behind!" Within the turmoil, Rye turned her back on the scene, books flying in all directions. Squeezing her eyes shut with embarrassment, she debated whether speech would break the ice. "Could you not leave a sign? Do. Not. Disturb. Pretty simple. Hang an elastic on the knob or something, whatever people do when they're having mad sex with the school ass!" Bending down, she began stacking the books, focusing her attention on the titles and what they would look like if they had been written in Greek.

"Sorry baby." Rye heard kissing. "I'm gonna go take a shower. I'll be right back." The door slammed shut.

Wrapping a towel around his waist, Tala advanced towards the kneeling gal, stretching his arms while yawning. "You know, you don't appreciate a lot of stuff in school until you get older. Little things like being spanked by a middle aged woman. Stuff you'd pay good money for in later life."

Rye dropped her jaw. "That's disgusting."

"Oh right. My bad. You're still a virgin."

"Shut up, Tala." There was an emphasis on each word.

"Relax. I believe sex is the most beautiful thing between two people. Between five? It's fantastic!"

"Arg!" The girl stood to her feet, stack of books blocking contact.

"What? Jeez. Never seen a guy naked before?"

"I've seen guys naked. There was that time by the pool, Brooklyn was half-" She paused, cheeks reddening as she realized what Tala probably heard.

"Aw." The boy took a step forward. Rye took a step back. Before she even registered what her next move would be, a slick wisp of wind sliced through the air as Tala whipped his towel off.

"Gahhhhh, my eyes!" Rye charged towards the boy, ramming him over with the books before releasing. Pivoting, she quickly grabbed her blanket off the bed, smothering her face with it before running aimlessly out the door and down the hall.

Sitting up, Tala placed a hand on his skull before opening his eyes. He gathered the books. It was so like her to spend the day at the library working on their project. That was exactly why he decided to get it on with Ming Ming in the first place. Who knew she would be back so soon. Ohwell, what's bygone, is bygone. The redhead chuckled. Who was he kidding. This was hilarious! He couldn't wait to tell the others.

"Hmm. Cute kid." He placed the books by her bed.

* * *

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Brooklyn paced towards the door. "Who is it?" Thank god Garland was at his competition, he could have blown a gasket with visitors at this time. 

He turned the knob. "Whoa!" A blanketed creature greeted him.

"Are your clothes on?"

"…R-Rye?"

The girl slowly nodded before pulling the sheet off her head. "I'm gonna stay with you tonight." A little shaken, she walked under the arm propping the door open. "I saw Tala's ding-a-ling. I warn you. I'm gonna be up all night questioning where I went wrong."

"Oii." He shook his head. "This might take longer than one night."

Not really understanding the traumatized look on his friend's face, Brooklyn squinted before ushering her in.

The long blanket trailed slowly behind.

* * *

There we have it! _Please_ read and review guys! Good or bad. I get hundreds of hits but five reviews. It gets discouraging. I promise faster updates! 


	4. 04

I'm alive! LOL. First want to apologize for my lack of updates, university's been taking a lot of my time. Finally, a day away from Sciences to reunite with our favorite bishonen boys! Happy Thanksgivings folks!

_Galleons of love to cassyw, WindWtch, Midnightmare, BloodyShadows, Dryu, and arevelo for reviewing.__ This chapters goes out to DPhnix and Jixnce, hehehe._

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 04

**.:Bastard ****Academy:.**

* * *

Placing the button at the end of the foil, Rye did a few stretches before heading over to the mat. Sliding the wire mesh mask over her face, body in start position, she waited for her opponent to do the same. 

"We're painting at the Estates if I win, end of the month. I need to finish my portrait."

"Win or lose, we're heading there anyways. Grandfather wants you over for tea. Don'cha want a better prize?" Her voice stung of confidence.

The boy snickered. "Maybe _you_ don't have anything I want."

"You did not just go there."

Deep colored eyes sparkling at his opponent's snappy response.

"Hey! Wait a minute, what exactly do _I_ get out of this if I win?"

"Name your game."

Pausing in thought, Riley grinned. "I need no labeled goods. I want something money can't buy… something… _inanimate_. Oh! How about something along the lines of your pride. That's it!- a dash of art to personalize it. Knowing your fan base and you, I don't believe you're cool enough to pull off a little gospel infused rock and roll."

"You think you know me so well." A smile escaped with the suggestion. "You're on."

"High stakes, Blue-"

The boy snickered, he hated that name. "I never planned on losing."

Slipping the mask over his face, Kai set his body in start position before gesturing the girl to kick off the game. "Come get me…if you can. Show me what you've got."

Rolling her eyes, Rye couldn't help but snicker. "Cocky bastard."

It was his dedication that wore her out. Having sent several rather well-written applications to the Lee Estates asking for ground access, the only thing that stood between Kai and his dream painting was Rye.

She remembered the day as if it were yesterday. And god, did she enjoy every moment of it.

In her eyes, Kai was worst than Tala. Yes, the redhead was a mouthy bastard within contact, but other then that, they lived their separate lives. Kai seemed sneakier than that. She saw how he absorbed information. He was one of those people who were constantly aware of their surroundings. He was in control; he was the heart of their overrated group.

How could she have been so wrong?

Behind her back, grandfather granted him permission into her life.

"Half an hour, one camera, we keep the negatives."

He was in no position to argue.

The blue-haired boy looked so approachable in regular slacks and a tee. His patience amazed her, _thee_ Kai Hiwatari- the most eligible bachelor as written by _Attitude_, squatting on the grass, attempting to capture nature at its best…undisturbed.

_A twig napped under her weight. He turned._

_"What are you doing here?"_

_He ignored her, well aware of his time limit._

_"I asked you a question!"_

_"Why are you here?"_

_"You first."_

_"I'm working."_

_"I'm doing an internship."_

_Back still towards her, the boy stood from his crouching position, following the breeze deeper into the grounds._

_"That's it? I'm working?"_

_The bushes opened to reveal a bridge over a tumbling stream. Soft words escaped his lips. "This is…"_

_"Hey! I'm talking to you!"_

_"I don't believe you."_

_An awkward silence rung through the air as __Rye__ fought to gather words. "Excuse me…?"_

_"I don't think you're doing an internship here." The boy turned to face her. "Could we talk about this another time?" He lowered his gaze to check his watch._

_At that particular moment, a breathless man caught up with the dark-haired girl. "We heard yelling, miss. Is everything alright?" There was no denying the distinctive French accent._

_Refusing to unlock eyes with the blue-haired boy, __Rye__ raised a hand in the man's direction. There was a moment of hesitation. "Allain. Tell grandfather I have granted Mr. Hiwatari permission to stay longer. He will be having dinner with us tonight." _

_Narrowing his brows with slight confusion, Allain decided best to keep her orders. With a quick nod, he left. _

_"Now where were we? Ohyes, Kai- can I call you that? Why is it that you don't think I'm doing an internship here?"_

Neither suggested keeping their friendship hidden, it had just worked out that way. Like all relationships, their friendship started as a question-answer type acquaintance, evolving to a point where both sides admitted to having shared too many details.

Their friendship resembled advanced biweekly therapy sessions, going at each other, one-on-one, with a pointed stick and a little protective clothing. Fencing this week, horseback riding lessons next. Eventually, they would be ready for the casual dinner and a movie!

Breathless from the advance, Rye spoke through her mask. "You!" she got his attention, "Forgot to ask. Have any time in your schedule to fill in for a member in one of our upcoming trivia competitions? We're up against Le Marc. It'll help ya with your marks, might even get Senior off your back." She went for a lunge but missed. Kai heard cussing.

His first reaction was to refuse. "Won't your precious Brooklyn be angry?" Tension rising, he shook his head and loosened his wrist.

Slightly irritated, instincts shot back with the first comeback. "When did Tala start rubbing off on you?" The ticker went up another point.

The game was getting close. He smirked. "It came out wrong and you took it too personally." At that moment, he took the opportunity to take the lead once more, "and what's with you and Tala anyways? Do you two even remember how the feud started?" He could sense her rolling her eyes at him, as if it mattered- the origins of her hate. "He's a good guy. You'll see what I mean once you meet his parents." Another ding for him, 3-1.

"Hmph. That's what B always says." She went for another lunge but was cut short as the ticker sounded once more, this time, taking her by surprise.

Shit. He was good.

Another agitated growl, 4-1.

With all arrogance aside, both duelers knew who had the upper hand. Kai had always been a stronger fencer, it was in his blood. Mrs. Hiwatari held quite a title back in her days. Knowing that, Rye nonetheless still agreed to the game…and, well, that was one of the things Kai admired most about her. No matter the situation or disadvantage, she was ready- the worst it was, the more she wanted it. It was almost frightened, her determination. This behavior was far from the norm- the manners expected from a lady in upper society.

Here it came, Rye began charging at him in full throttle. They found themselves off the mat in an all for all out battle. The room was their battle ground, nothing was off bounds.

Cocking a brow, Kai decided to land on his right foot rather then his usual left. As predicted, the ticker sounded seconds within contact. 4-2.

"What the hell are you trying to pull, Hiwatari? I'm not some rodent for your experiments. I don't need your pity." 4-3. "Ha! There you go!" She smirked triumphantly.

Pushing the mask off his face, Kai tucked the foil under his arm before sliding the gloves off his hands. Walking towards the bench, he placed the gear by his feet before opening a bottle of water.

"Jesus-!"

Profanity.

"People these days!" She followed the boy.

Sweat trickling down his face, he looked up at her, slightly out of breath.

_'Still breathing, but sweating nonetheless…"_

"…we ever gonna come out with our friendship?"

Rye furrowed her brows at the sudden question. Kai kept his steady gaze.

Releasing a sigh, the girl grabbed her bottle, slowly twisting off the cap. She took a seat behind her friend. "You've been thinking about this a lot. I can hear it in your voice."

Here it was again- that connection. He lowered his head. "You are surprised I suggested it." It was more a statement than anything else.

"Yeah, I am. I always assumed I would be, you know…the one to bring it up."

"It's not enough, every two weeks. I don't want to see you only at business parties, or…I don't know. It's too scheduled."

"Sure you can _handle_ the spontaneity? You _ready_ for the excitement?" She laughed, a teasing glint in her eyes.

She was thinking, buying herself time. Few people knew of this technique and even fewer managed to master it. They understood each other on a different level.

"We're always sneaking around…"

"It's easier living a lie, I'm starting to get use to it." Rye eyed the size of the room. "Everyone goes by an alias here. We're told it's for our own protection."

"Either way," not wanting to press the matter any further, Kai stood to stretch. "The topic's been raised, don't slave yourself thinking about it…" He gave her a knowing glance.

"You think you know me so well…"

"Hey. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight knowing you wouldn't be able to sleep thinking about me all night-"

"Oh! Is _that_ how you're gonna play it?"

"4-3, Lee! Looks like another victory for me. Try a little bit harder next time. For me."

"You bas-"

"Remember to clean up, I'll leave first. Shouldn't be too suspicious at these hours. Not much gear today." Throwing his towel into his sac, the boy slung the small duffle bag over his shoulder.

"It was 4-3…! Oh, ugh, whatever. I'll see you in two weeks at the Estates then. For your painting."

"Got it. And tea with gramps. 'Wouldn't miss it for the world, gorgeous'!" He laughed at the last bit, mocking her with the words- an inside joke used to remind her of one of her 'admirers' from one of their parents' associate bashes- the asshole son of such and such. He and Rye served as each other's safety nets, posing as each other's 'honeys,' a rather desperate but reliable excuse for their poor um 'fan-service.' Pictures of them together landed them on the cover of several tabloids, but during the hysteria (the clawing and shedding of clothes from fangirls and guys for Rye) it was the best he could come up with.

Yes, the best 'he' could come up with. He was the one who initiated their 'coming-together.' It was just…Kai remembered that night so vividly, the Fedelini crew had been eyeing Rye all night. She didn't look any different…okay, aside from the makeup and lashes. Fine, maybe the tresses too, oh, don't forget the skirt now. She was wearing heels that night, right? He remembered that particular detail with extra clarity. He came up to her, surprisingly only an inch or two taller than her, and slyly slid a glass of champagne into her hand from the side. She turned towards him from the right, lips parting with a groan ready for the next jock-ass-advance, but to her surprise!

_She smiled. 'Hey, you…' _

He knew he needed to protect her from then on…

"Shut up and leave before I decide to leak those charity slides on net. Boy Toys Make Some Noise! Here comes Mr. Kai 'hunkalicious' Hiwatari in a stunning designer suit. Can you say abs and silk?-"

"That woman! What kinda of host was she? No professional would-"

"Or that time with the ducks in the pond-"

"Leaving! Got it!"

Rye smiled to herself as the gym doors clicked behind him. They knew each other so well, maybe even too well. If the guy was right about anything, he was right to assume she would be up all night, thinking of this conversation and how she would ever build up enough courage…

…to tell Brooklyn.

* * *

"Your character is mopping the floor of the battleship when he overhears two crew members puzzling over a serious, highly technical problem. Dropping his mop, he runs over and gives the solution easily, even though he's only qualified to wash floors. Hmm, so your character is Average Joe, don't morph him into Superman in the blink of an eye. Shoot him with some toxic sludge or something at the very least, don't you agree Rye?" 

"…yeah, toxic sludge…"

"You feeling alright, Riley?" questioned Robert, marking his page with a post-it before closing the thick book.

Turning her head so her cheek was against the table, the girl sighed at her friend from her depressing position. Brooklyn shook his head with a small sympathetic smile.

"Her date with Tala's next week. They're meeting at his place to work on their project."

"Can I request you not personalize it so much? It's not a date and I rather not remind you of the possibilities if we were to work in my dorm with Ming Ming in the house, on her bed, probably going out of her way to seduce him with her fluttery lashe- _everything!_" She shuddered at the recollection. "My dorm is off limits."

"I'm sorry, let me rephrase that. Rye and Tala are getting together at a stone house to kill sheep. It is a graduation requirement and there is nothing sexy about this sentence whatsoever."

"Thank you, B. Punch me when I'm down."

He smiled. "That's what friends are for."

Her eyes lingered on his face for a little too long. She forced herself to look away.

Sliding the blonde's book down the table, Garland responded with a reassuring tone. "I'm gonna be out of town at a Kendo meet, but I'm sure either Rob or Brooklyn will come pick you up. Just give'em a ring."

"-They charge long distance from beyond the grave."

Garland rolled his eyes. Rye. The others simply laughed.

* * *

"She actually ran out of the room with the blanket over her head? What was she, like Cousin It, or something?" 

"That's right." The redhead violently ripped a piece of his bread, dipping it into his soup. "It was beautiful. I've never seen Lovett so vulnerable before. It was better than the lay itself.".

"Aw, come on, Tala. Have some respect." Ray watched his friend inhale his meal. "Stop picking on the girl."

"Shut up, Kon. You got your date with Mariah. Quit sucking-up already! Let me have my glory."

"Which reminds me. How did your punishment at the Lee Estates go? We're all from only-childed families. We can only imagine the possibility of you babysitting."

"Demon offspring, I say! They refused to eat anything that hadn't danced across the TV screen!"

"You made it dance, didn't you…?"

"I-"

"Didn't see your precious Melisande?"

"Here, just take my limbs, I'm bleeding. First with the babysitting, now the project at parents' with Rye. Not looking forward to it."

"It's karma."

"That's what assholes get for being all ass-like."

"This coming from Mr-let's-sneak-around-with-Garland-sister? You wait your turn. My lucks gotta transfer some time."

"How the hell-? Who told you-?"

"Oh come on. I'm not that retarded. It's so obvious. Mariah bunks with Scarlett-"

"Don't get Mariah into this conversation. She's a good girl. She doesn't do stuff like that. None of that catty, gossip business."

"Don't get all defensive, Kon. I'm merely stating the facts. The girl came over to our dorm to drop off Lovett's Eco books so I could drive'em over, then she starts asking me about Mr. Goody-goody-"

"Mariah came over to your dorm to talk about Brooklyn?"

Ray's question caught Kai's attention.

"I don't know. She wanted to know whether he was attending the Parent's Night Bash, something about his folks? Geez, I don't remember and I don't particularly care. Oh, come on, you've got her in the bag! Why does it matter? She asked me a question, I asked her if Scarlett's been in lately. Trade for trade. I had my doubts 'bout Johnny boy here. Don't worry, I didn't blow your cover. It was subtle."

"I don't believe this!"

"What's with this sneaky shit? Couldn't you just come out and ask _me_ about my relationship with Scarlett? Do you understand what you could have-?"

"Stop overreacting! Help me out here, Kai. Tell them how stupid they sound."

_'Mariah has a thing for __Brooklyn__? What was with this guy and women? First __Rye__, wait, __Rye__! Did she-"_

"Kai!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. Yeah, why didn't you tell Ray and ask Johnny?"

"You've gotta be kidding me, not you too?" The boy stood with disbelief.

"Where are you going? I'm not done speaking with you yet!"

"I'm heading back to the suite. I'm gonna sleep this off."

"You just woke up! It's barely noon!"

"I'll give Economics a spin. It's like nap-in-a-can. Works wonders." Tala stood, the two followed him. Kai had no choice but to join. He was feeling a little curious now.

"Man, great. Now I've started a scene. I've never disliked attention before."

Speedily, the redhead quickened his pace.

* * *

Longer chapter this time! Yay! This one was full of some pretty important information, let's see if you people caught the clues to what I have in store. (I've started using WindWitch's reviews as a basis for how clear my hints are, lol!) 

Love ya all! Please read and review!

Euphrosyne


	5. 05

_Whoot! to WindWitch, cassyw, Bloodyshadows, DPhnix, and HeartlessDevil for reviewing! _

_(Psst, follow their examples…!)_

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 05

**.:Bastard ****Academy:.**

* * *

As hundreds of students and parents danced the night away at Rene's annual Parents Night Bash, a rivaling number of workers stormed the Empire grounds, setting up tents, tables, and seats for the 50 piece band. 

As the lower level stressed over decorations and floral arrangements with dozens of waiters scurrying past each other, lifting platters of appetizers and entrees over each other's heads, the atmosphere two floors up was quite the opposite; mutual distain weaved through the air, not a speck of combustion, and for the record, no one bothered to change the attitude.

In the smaller of the two rooms sat Rye- half a dozen artists painting her face and another few filing her nails. Every so often, the man coloring her hair would tug a little too hard, and out of reflex, Rye would grip the edge of her seat, receiving a sharp smack against the wrist from the filers who were less than thrilled to be tending an off-the-street type girl.

Between the strokes of eyeliner and layers of mascara, Rye saw the reflection of a primp middle-aged man conducting the workers from behind her seat. Nothing seemed to touch him as outfits and memos flew past his face. He would simply wave them off with a flick of the wrist and continue to touch/analyze materials with the other. Rolling up a sleeve to reveal an expensive diamond trimmed watch, the man ran his fingers through Rye's hair, tracing the strands to the nape of her neck, before confidently declaring his decision. "No, no," he spoke with a heavy Italian accent, "this won't do. Her face is too long, we're losing her cheekbones with the Egyptian cut, keep the layers, add some volume, I'm envisioning espresso highlights…" His directions slowed as he struggled to formulate English words, "Yes, yes, give her a glaze! Throughout the lower levels. Nothing touches the scalp."

A woman ran by with her assistants pushing a rack, she lifted a gown for the man to see.

"Love it, love it. Gor-g_e_ous detailing! Very Monroe, classic- how do you say it in English? _Vin-tage._ Let's save this one for when the girl decides to grow some cleavage."

Nodding, the woman placed the gown back on the rack before snapping for the next case to come.

"Yes…this might just work! Very good job, Hilda. Perfect bal_a_nce of hick meets renaissance. Off the shoulder, emphasis on the waist. Definitely the open-toed slips. If the girl managed to inherit anything, it is her mother's feet. Kiss kiss!" The two touched cheeks.

Trading a few laughs in a foreign language before separating ways, Rye knew they were putting her down again. Having spent half her life at the Empire, the girl managed phrases here and there. It was the sole reason why Rob always said she had a knack for languages.

Clicking of heels sounded the hall as a woman in black advanced with a clipboard in hand. Her velvety suit absorbed the light pouring through the windows but she showed no sign of heat. The only thing that seemed to concern her were the notices underneath her pen

Walking up to the man, the two mindlessly exchanged kisses. "Ms. Lovett wants to see her now…" She cast a glance into the mirror to scan Rye's expression. Rye caught a sneer in which she returned "My, my. Is it just me, Ghita, or has the girl gained weight once again?"

"Tasie, you've always been a what do you call it?- um, stick-stick-like-glue for details. Nothing escapes your eye." Ghita's accent seemed to thicken with the personal assistance's presence. "It's the fat around the arms. I sent you a memo about the formulas to be sent back with her tonight?"

Making a few amendments to the lists of notes, the woman flipped a page before confirming the shipment. "Have it right here. The order was placed this morning. We'll just have to hide her from Anna during the rehearsal. Anna _hates_ fat people."

She was not fat. Rye was 17, 5'5", and 103 pounds.

"Alright, we'll have to finish her up later. Her mother's waiting in the room next door and she is pissed! One of Cassin's men tried to pocket a bottle of _Viognier_. There will be no next time by Ms.'s standards. We don't expect to see them catering other gatherings either if you know what I mean. I will personally make sure the guests hear of their horrible service." The two exchanged nods of agreement, throwing in a few snotty snickers.

"The hon_o_r working for Ms. Melisande Lovett! What a disgrace!" He waved the woman off, picking Rye by the arm. "Take the girl, this will give me time to adjust the gown around the bust."

Robotically rising from her seat, Rye followed the woman out the door in nothing but a robe.

Frames of photos circled the perimeter of the guest hall. Neat pictures of her mother, father, and aunt sat in definitive rows above the grand piano, but Rye knew it was all for show. Mother could care less if they tossed the pictures out with the fifty grand instrument. The sentimental gear was used to emphasize her womanly essence, those nonexistent maternal instincts.

"Sit." and Rye did, across from the demon herself. Her mother continued sampling varieties of champagne and exquisite wines before gargling some water to test the next. How she managed to spit without looking like a man, Rye did not know. It was probably the same magic that kept her clothes from staining and her forehead from moving.

"You've grown since the last time I saw you."

"You think I'm fat. Say it to my face. It's not the first time I've received this treatment."

It was surprising how little Rye resembled her mother. The features were there, but never close enough. Melisande Senior had pitch black hair, almond blue eyes and powdery skin- the tools that catapulted her modeling/ acting career back in the day. Now that she had her own directing company, the top of their industry, her daughter served of little use in her productions. Rye had lazy dark hair, intense yet boring grey eyes, and similar pale skin- her's however, seemed to flush with a sickly hue in the wrong lights.

Or so the people often compared.

"If only she had your eyes, Mel. God would've gotten something right. I blame the studying, the dulling of the retinas."

If only Brooklyn were here to hear that medical analogy.

"She's probably going to spend the rest of her life in a lab like your sister.'

"I'm not even in Sciences!"

"Honey, don't scrunch your face like that. It pinches your features."

"-Dr. Browning can give me new ones. Maybe a nose like yours."

Ms. Lovett leaned back at the comment but Rye was satisfied. This was her mother's version of a flinch.

Rye was in no way connected to this house and she spared no opportunity in sharing it. Rene and the Estates were her homes now, she had grandpa, Kai, and Brooklyn, and that was all she needed.

"You're almost a woman now, Leigh. It's about time you start dating."

"The name is _Lee_, mother. Quit trying to make Leigh work. You can't take a person's identity by changing the records through Valkov at school. I was born a Lee and I will remain a Lee. Riley Lovett, cute alias. Could have gone for something a little more original than your own maiden name, mother. Lovett, that some French porn star or something?"

She would have died quoting Tala, but she couldn't think of anything better.

The woman's expression remained indifferent.

"And for the record, give up trying to sound young with the whole _Ms_. Lovett thing. You've got a daughter, you're getting old, and you're gonna keep aging until you die-"

"How is Tala? He's grown to become such a handsome young man. Redheads are just asking for attention. His grandfather's in education. They come from a long line of educators and famous ones at that. Good predecessors, a fluent life-"

And again, with this conversation.

"Tala is not cool and never will be. He's an asshole and we will never become an 'item.' We're doing a project together and I would have held you responsible for the pairing if the process weren't random. Tala shows no respect for women through his disposal of our gender and I would have credited you that much seeing you are a female icon."

The rant was not meant to sound like a compliment but the elder must have misinterpreted something as elevating her status, for she continued playing matchmaker.

"Can't say I like Kai. He's in the field of business."

"You're in the field of business!"

"Madam is in the entertainment industry! Please learn to hold your tongue when speaking to your elders!"

"Your friend Brooklyn barely makes the list. He is a dependable confidante but I would never permit my daughter to marry the son of a convict. Why settle for him when you have his cousin. The Valkovs' have made quite the effort in covering up their little family secrets. We should reward them for that."

Rye was furious. Jumping to her feet, she tore drafts of menus lying on the table before throwing the bits all over the floor. Flailing down the stairs, she could care less if she started a scene. She wanted out of site.

"Her temper hasn't changed. Shall I set a meeting with the headmaster again? We do not pay millions for demos such as this."

"No, no, no. Let her be. She's still a child nonetheless. Marriage is too far off the agenda. Let's not overwhelm her."

Tasie shook her head. "Mame, what would we do without parents like you. You should stop spoiling her. She'll never survive in the real world."

Ms. Lovett waved the waiters over and returned to her beverages. Churning the liquid in the glass, she tilted the wine slowly towards her lips before savoring the flavor within her mind.

* * *

"Okay, kids! Run, I say, run! I'm gonna count to a hundred or something, but after that, I'm gonna come find you, so make it hard!" Tala turned his back on the dozen kids before wrapping his arms around his face. "Here I go. One alligator, two alligator…" 

"Excuse me, Mr. Tala, sir. Alligators are scary, can you count something else?"

Squinting at the girl who was twiddling her thumbs, the said boy held back a glare before shifting his gaze on a tree. A little irritated, he decided to ignore the tugging on his sleeves. "Fine. Let's start again. One Mississippi, two Mississippi…"

The girl would have questioned his knowledge on bodies of water if Tala hadn't shoved her off.

Raising his voice as he slowly stepped away from the open green land, he decided to tread his way into the woody areas. The kids would never find him there, it was off bounds without an adult and surprisingly, the kids were really good abiding to rules.

The more proper, the more annoying, they were like mini versions of-

"You know, the point of the game is so you find the kids and not the other way around."

Turning, he saw the devil herself, arms crossed, hair up, in a black turtleneck and skirt. She adjusted her glasses at him, taking in his chaotic look.

"What have you been rolling in?"

"The hopes and dreams of overly pretentious kids."

"Ah." She was slightly amused. He looked so lost and broken in his ripped jeans and muddy shoes. She couldn't turn away. "Babysitting again, so it seems. One on twelve? That's a little cruel even for you."

"Gramps got angry yesterday after the bash. Something about lack of responsibility." He tried to scratch the grass stains off his elbow by tilting his arm towards his face. He gave up. "It was suppose to be a one time thing, but," he sighed, "I don't know anymore." There was a pause. "What are you doing here, woman?"

It was almost admirable the way he blurted answers without a feel of regret or shame.

"Internship."

"For what?" the boy eyed the place, "planning to become a greenhouse lady?" He began following her deeper into the grounds.

"No, jackass. I'm on break right now. I need some fresh air." She stopped as they came to a clearing. "If you haven't heard, the Lee Estates' famous for their naturistic stills." She made a gesture towards a bridge. "I think it's a rather nice place to hang."

_'…If you're 60, single, and play chess…' _Taking in the scene, Tala felt an odd tug in his brain. He could hear the stream tumbling along, smell the flowers blossoming away, and the bridge…red oak again the green…

_…Where had he seen this before?_

"…heading back this afternoon to spend the night with B." She gave a happy squeal.

The boy broke from his trance. "What's up with you and Brooklyn anyways? You sleeping with my cousin or something?"

Once again, like every other remote encounter they ever had, Rye was stunned at his choice of words. "What the hell is with you and sex!"

"Hey. If there's any hope for Brooklyn on getting laid, it would be you."

"I'm not even going to justify that comment with a response."

"Wonder if Mariah's that type of girl?"

"Excuse me?"

"Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice?"

The girl picked up her pace.

Laughing at her body language, the boy dove in front of her, refusing to let her pass until she answered the question.

God, how he loved putting her on the spot. The struggle made it _extra_ hot…

He was a good head taller than she was and could've taken her right there if he wanted to.

"Fine then. What's your view on sex seeing you obviously have something against mine. How would you like to be had?"

"I believe,' her voice got louder with each word as she glared into those intense blue eyes, "that people should be free to engage in any sexual practice they choose..."

Tala raised a smirking brow.

"They should draw the lines at goats though." She shot him a glare, pushing past his arm.

The boy merely chuckled. "I love my women raw." She continued to ignore him, trudging up the grassy hill. "You weren't at the Parents Night Bash yesterday..."

If she turned around, he could jump her. She would cry, being smothered in his dirt stained arms.

"I-"

_Umph!_

"I found him! I found him! I told you that's how we play the game. Mr. Tala counts one hundred Mississippis, we run, he hides, we find! It's a rather stupid game but I can see why it's called hide-and-seek!" the girl tightened her hold around the boy's leg.

"Shh, shh, you don't want to tell the other kids cause you'll lose points!"

The girl was too excited to hear.

"He's here, Jackie! Over here. I found him!"

Knees buckling, forcing him towards the ground, Tala raised an arm towards Rye for help. The sound of tiny footsteps echoed the bushes as kids began charging towards him at full speed. Rye shook her head with a poor attempt of a sympathetic grin.

"NoOoo…!" some kid jumped on his back. "…ugh…ohgod, kids in the back seat cause accidents, accidents in the back seat cause kids..." He began pleading with Rye. "I'll give you a ride back…!"

"Not with that intro, you don't. Don't forget, we're working at your place this Friday. Eco."

"For the last time," he held back a satanic growl as something snapped, "Why is it we're working at my place again?"

"I can't hear you…" Rye cackled as she edged away. It was almost disgusting how happy he _unconsciously_ made the kids.

She was looking forward to meeting these parents she heard so much about.

Face first, breathing in the soil, Tala lifted his head to see Rye disappear off the path. He wasn't going to deny the fact corporate babes turned him on- both the look and the rejection. Realizing his position, the boy fought back a snicker...

Few women had the capacity of walking away from him, and even fewer were capable of leaving him here to die.

Tala shook his head at the dismissal. The girl was definitely something...

* * *

...And the fic summary makes more sense...-insert wink- (Bwahaha!) 

PLEASE REVIEW, lol!


	6. 06

Those new FF features are pretty slick! Thanks to all those who reviewed, I'm looking forward to replying'em with the new Reply feature!

This was one of the first scenes that came to my head when I decided to write this story. Hehe.

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 06

**.:Bastard** **Academy:.**

* * *

Tucking the strands of dark hair that managed to escape from underneath the white cap, Rye draped an arm over the convertible door, gently tapping the exterior with the palm of her hand to whatever tune she was currently listening to. 

The half hour ride had been pretty much uneventful so far. Having tossed her book bag in the back seat the instant she made contact with the leathery interior, Rye must have made a mental note of ignoring the redhead because the only sign of life she displayed was the shifting of her gear, that one time when she pulled her hoodie from underneath her thin coat and the whipping action of her hair against the wind when she did.

Tala had made an effort not to scan her over in the rearview mirror for that move, confirming only the strength of his temptation and the weakness of his mind.

He hated her self-control; the awkwardness of the ride was ridiculous-

"Maybe you should get that."

Tala's attention snapped towards the girl. "Wha-?"

Rolling her eyes behind her shades, she leaned over his lap, grabbing the ringing device from the glove compartment.

"Your cell has been going for the last five minutes." She held the item towards him.

The things he would've done to wipe that smug look off her face. He flipped the device. "Speak."

Shaking her head at the greeting, Rye returned to her bored attire by resting an elbow against the door. Closing her eyes as she leaned back against the seat, simultaneously, she shoved the earbuds back into place.

"No, you didn't catch me at a bad time."

_That was almost civil. Now lower your voice._

"We're almost there. Another fifteen minutes or so."

…_Another fifteen minutes eh? Huh? Was he speaking to-_

"Babysitting was fine." The boy turned his body on an angel as if to avoid Rye's range. "Can we talk about this another time? I'd…I'd rather tell you in…in person."

_WTF?_ _Was the bastard stuttering? The man whore was embarrassed? That was a first!_

She could feel his movements as his voice lowered an octave to that of a whisper.

"Yeah mum, I love you too."

Rye raised a brow.

Nope, wasn't expecting that one.

The cell was placed back in the compartment.

"Oh would you shut up already."

Rye pulled the earbuds out of her ear, turning towards him with a quizzical look. Her rehearsed reaction however, instantly gave her away, proving she had heard him nonetheless. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I could hear you snickering a mile away. Don't you play innocent with me."

"I have better things to do than to eavesdrop on your conversations, Valkov. Then again, _I_ would be pretty defensive too if I had your child-handling skills.

Tala's right eye twitched. He hated kids.

"Seriously, who tries to coo a child to sleep by telling'em creepy fairy stories? Tales with fairies aren't always considered fairytales!" She could barely suppress her laugher at the recollection; the eyes of a frightened five-year-old crossed her mind.

_Tala tucked the kid in with the others. A dim nightlight illuminated his face. The girl whimpered as the boy turned, awfully tired himself. This kid was being particularly difficult._

"_Remember. Every time a child says 'I don't believe in fairies,' a little fairy somewhere falls down and dies." His lids dropped a little as he emphasized those last few words.. "Now sleep and have a goodnight. _

The boy sneered. "Hey, I only told'em the stuff my parents told me when I was young. Never tell your kids you had an easy birth or they won't respect you. For years my mother would wake me up at night and say, 'Tala, you ripped me to shreds. Now go back to sleep.' And look! I turned out alright!"

"That's not right."

Eventually, the car came to a halt. Rye found herself trapped in a repeating conundrum, mailboxes stood on the corner of every house, the grass was disgustingly uniform, and pretty brick houses resembling Christmas cards cloned their way up the street.

Rye took off her shades. Shit, this _was_ real.

Impressive.

Tala stepped out of the car, twirling his keys impatiently.

Pushing a metal blue trolley, an old man in a navy blue uniform tilted his cap at the redhead and friend. "Morning, Tala. Good day so far? Haven't visited the folks for awhile now."

Tala raised an arm to catch the paper chucked his way. "Nah. It's only been a month- Fuck! I knew I forgot something! Left gramp's brew in the office. The old man ordered you a new blend."

"Don't worry about it son. We're having coffee Sunday. He can give it to me then."

Tala gave the man what appeared to be a tangible smile. "Hey, sorry bout that, Sam. Later."

Nodding, the man strolled over to the next house, dropping off the mail with the flick of a wrist.

Taking in the lazy Friday morning, Tala concluded most folks were either at work or at school. He was pretty much the oldest kid in the neighborhood, one who attended an academy, the renowned Rene, at that.

"Woman, I trust you will manage out of the car on your own? Swiveled and jump. Do I need to open the door for you?"

Rye just studied the boy with her mouth agape. What was that? One minute he was all chum chum with the postman, next he was…himself! She watched as the redhead walked up the stone steps, jumping at the front door to reveal a silver colored key behind the door's frame. He unlocked the entrance, tippy-toeing to place the key back in its original safe. Propping the screen door open with his leg, he waited for the girl to respond.

"We don't have all day."

Cleanliness hit her in the face. She followed the sound of vacuuming into the house.

The house was a little smaller than expected, the way a house should be. Warm pastel hues glazed the walls where photographs of all sizes, family and friends, competed for glory beside the certificates of past achievements. Rye stopped at a pic with a little boy in a tux, blue ribbon in one hand, violin in the other. A large smile was stretched across the seemingly always flawless skin. A large congratulating arm draped over his tiny shoulders.

"Is that _you_?" He was wearing fucking knee socks!

Either ignoring the question or not having heard it at all, Tala kicked off his shoes, hung his jacket, and checked his reflection in the large antique-looking mirror by the door. Sliding himself along on his socks to what Rye assumed was the kitchen, the boy suddenly stopped by a set of carpeted stairs. "If you need slippers, they're on the rack. Else you can slip and slide like me. The woman's obsessed with cleaning." He gestured up the stairs to where the sound of vacuuming originated. "Want anything?" Turning his back on the girl, he opened the fridge door, resting a jug of milk on the island before propping himself on a stool. Dozens of pots and pans hung from above the centerpiece, the room was rather spacious.

"You're the brains behind the project."

Was that a compliment?

Remote in one hand and arm wedged beneath the boy's chin, a man in a lime green shirt patted Tala heavily on the back with an affectionate slap. As fast as his movements were into the room, he sudden shifted his gaze on Rye, across the island on the other side.

Tala struggled to breathe, rimming the edge of the counter with his arm as to prevent the spilt milk from running off the surface.

A genuine smile rose from the older man's face, familiar turquoise eyes sparkled with vitality.

Rye suddenly noticed her cap and quickly took it off. She brushed the stray bangs away from her face. With a small smile she extended her hand. "Mr….Mr. Valkov! Riley Lovett. Pleased to meet you." His general appearance, both attire and entrance had taken her by surprised. She hoped that astonishment was not reflected in her eyes.

He took her hand in both of his, and if possible, his smile grew even larger. "She's got a strong grip, this one." He leaned towards Tala who responded to his father's comment with a weird look.

Tala's eyes narrowed then widened with realization.

Oh no…_no_, no, no…

The man suddenly dashed towards the stairs, hollering over the vacuuming, "Honey, take a break. You're working too hard."

There was fumbling of gadgets. "Is the vacuum on too loud again?"

Rye turned to smile at Tala but found him absolutely horrified.

_Not here dad. Not now. Not Rye, not mum-_

A rather young looking woman returned with Mr. Valkov. It was her long fiery red hair that gave her away.

Wiping her hands on her apron, Mrs. Valkov removed the dusting mask and planted a kiss on her husband's cheek; she was a good head or two shorter than he. "Honey, what's wrong? Are the boys-"

"_Riley_, is indeed here." The man gestured towards their humble guest.

"Of course Riley. I spoke with Tala over the phone…"

Palms against her cheeks, Mr. Valkov shifted his wife's face towards the previously directed direction.

"-AH!"

It was a good 'Ah!' shocked nonetheless, but still your regular elevated gasp.

"Ri…Riley! He, I mean, she…well, he's a she-"

The woman grabbed her husband by the sleeve and bolted towards the hall.

Rye's eyes were wide with confusion.

Head popping back in with an enormous grin on her face, Mrs. Valkov waved at the two. "Riley, honey. Excuse us for a moment. Help yourself to some cookies." She pointed towards a large jar on the centre of the counter. "I baked them this morning. They're Tala's favorite." She winked, and as fast as she appeared, she disappeared again.

For a moment, Rye's eyes lit at the suggestion of cookies but the cravings diminished when she reached across the table, registering Tala's expression.

_Was he praying?_

…

Oh.

OHhh!

Oh, _no_.

She was suddenly pulled to her feet and pushed against her nemesis's side as Tala brushed himself off. There was rustlings of feet as the adults made their way back in.

They were sorta…sparkling. Did they just groom? A navy suit? Wasn't Mr. Valkov wearing a lime shirt just then? Mrs. Valkov, the apron was gone, a string of pearls?

"What the hell is going on?" scowled the girl under her breath.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you-"

"Tala honey, why don't you formally introduce us!" The woman looked as if she were going to blow from excitement.

"Yeah, um, sure." He gestured Rye to step forward. As she grazed past him, he tucked neatly behind her, words blurting out in a low stream of disorder. "You'rekindathefirstgirlIbroughthome."

"-You've gotta be fucking shitting me-"

"Mum, dad, Riley. Riley, mum, dad-"

"-Pleasure."

"The pleasure is all ours!"

Years of mother's Empire gatherings had gifted her with perfect timing. Her 'meet-the-associates' smile was to the dot.

"Sit, sit, Riley. Let me grab you something to eat…"

"That's really kind of you, but that _really_ isn't necessary." Rye almost felt like she overemphasized the words.

"Everyone sit. Can't work on an empty stomach now. Honey, help with the china. Do you take tea with one or two sugars?"

"One-"

Riley mentally cursed herself when Tala shot her a glare. His expression read, "Why the fuck are you encouraging them for?" as hers radiated "Etiquette, jackass. You got us into this mess!"

"Tala, this is a perfect time to share those babysitting stories."

The boy flinched at the suggestion, dramatically mouthing the word 'why.'

A sinister smirk graced Rye's lips at the turn of events. This might not be too horrible. _Do I have the capacity to twist this into revenge after all the humiliation he has caused me over the years?_

"-It's adorable how Tala struggles with kids…"

"You were there too, Riley?"

The man chuckled, "like I've always said. We parents suffer from a sexually transmitted disease: Children."

The older woman giggled, bumping her husbands with her hips as she mixed whatever batter she had in the large bowl tucked between her arm.

"He's always complaining about how children drive him crazy-"

"Insanity is heredity. You get it from your children!" laughed the couple as they recited the line, a line obviously used frequently seeing their precision.

The two were so romantically in love and it was obvious they were oblivious to their son's flaws. Rye was starting to understand why both Brooklyn and Kai loved this place so much; the drapes, the carpet, the photos, the overall intimate setting warmed her insides, and though the thoughts made her ache with a sort of jealousy, a larger part of her felt content knowing parents like this existed in the world, even if they were the couple who spawned-

"What the hell are you trying to pull, Lovett?" he grabbed her hoodie, pulling her back on the stool. Rye struggled to regain balance.

"What? Scared of little old me? I'm practically harmless."

Tala narrowed his eyes, mumbling under his breath. Not a second did he advert his attention from the girl. Resentment wasn't in his vocab, there were too many syllables. "I _told_ my psychiatrist everyone hates me."

Rye leaned towards his face, smiling an inch away from his nose. "That's ridiculous, everyone hasn't met you yet."

He pinched her. The first thing that came to mind and he friggin reached out and pinched her! The pain shot through her side.

Being that his arms were already stretched out, too slow to be retracted from their position and her toppling over from the pain…

"Oh! That is too cute! Did you see that dear? Tala just swooshed across the room and saved Rye as she was about to fall."

She looked at him and he looked at her and indeed there were Tala's arms snuggly around her waist, hand resting on the bare area exposed by her riding shirt.

"Come that close to my face again, Lovett and I'm gonna take it as an invitation."

She eyed where his hands were resting, easily supporting her weight despite the awkward angle. "My virgin waist. Great. Now I'm a Tala slut too."

She was as surprised at the confidence of her own response as he. Easily could she spill the details of Tala's 'playful' school habits. She was the first girl he brought home, that gave her power.

"Then again, I do have better things to do than narrate your graphic sex life."

She was taunting him and though he recognized the empty threats, overall, he didn't feel like fighting the girl today.

He swallowed his pride.

She watched his throat flex.

Oomph!

She made contact with the floor.

Having missed their little exchange, Mrs. Valkov kissed her boy on the cheek before doing the same with Rye. "Your father and I will call you two down when lunch is ready. You go on and work on your project." Grabbing her son again, she planted a kiss on the other cheek. "Such a handsome boy." Squeezing his forearm, she sighed with motherly affection.

"Such a good boy too. So very obedient. Until he was 13, he thought his name was shut up."

Tala groaned, grabbing Rye quickly by the wrist towards the escape.

"Where? I want a cookie-"

"Shut up! I'll buy you all the cookies you want on the way back. I just _really_ want to work on Economics right now."

Riley grinned. Now _that_ wasn't a phrase you heard everyday.

* * *

Intertwining laugher lifted the room as Rye turned on her back, bed shifting under her weight as she stared into the ceiling. 

A bed apart, Rye could hear her friend's movements, the light intake of breath against the silent night air, the corners of his smile cutting the atmosphere with its intensity.

Brooklyn shifted towards his side. "I told you you would like the Valkovs."

Closing her eyes again, the morning's events replayed through her head.

Garland was still at his meet, Rye had taken over his territory for the night.

A calm silence drifted through the air and Rye absorbed it. Pulling the sheets towards her face, she thought of the only two people she shared moments like this with…

"I'm gonna be missing this month's competition against Le Marc." He tried to remain indifferent but Rye knew otherwise. She heard his soft change in tone. "Grandfather wants me to visit…"

He didn't need to finish. She knew and she understood. Though it hurt her as much as it pained him to speak of his father, a part of her wanted him to build the strength to overcome that part of his life. It was not something to be feared, and definitely was not something to be ashamed of…

"_Your friend Brooklyn_ _barely makes the list. He is a dependable confidante but I would never permit my daughter to marry the son of a convict. Why settle for him when you have his cousin. The Valkov's have made quite the effort in covering up their little family secrets. We should reward them for that."_

…no matter how harshly people like mother worded it.

He had been a famous surgeon, the pinnacle of his career when the incident occurred. The headmaster rarely spoke of his eldest son, and though he managed to save the family from the shame by hiding the story to the best of his abilities, it only made it that much more difficult for Brooklyn when it came to details. Not only did his identity feel scarred, but barren, fragile, and incomplete.

"Garland has another competition that same week, so we're gonna need subs for the two areas.

"I can cover your Sciences."

Brooklyn smiled at the quick response, he didn't expect anything less. Rye's peculiar knack for sciences only sharpened their bond even more.

"Rob won't be able to fill in for Garland's English Lit though..."

"Well, I was thinking," and indeed she had been for awhile, "that maybe I could cover your Sciences _and_ Garland's Lit while Kai covers my Commerce-"

"Too complicated, Rye. Hiwatari lacks experience."

_But we can win. We need people. He's my friend._

Rye just laid in silence, staring into the ceiling. The way he said his name made her feel uneasy. Surly, Brooklyn had his reasons for disliking the blue-haired boy, but passing off such justifications by his accounts even took her by surprise.

"I worry for you, B…"

She knew he was listening.

"…You work so hard, you're so hard on yourself. You've got work, projects, assignments, twice our workload with your advance classes. The rest of the time you spend writing scholarship applications or helping others, tutoring them, for free at that! I wish, I wish I could just…"

_Why was this so much harder with him? Is it because you're a hypocrite, Rye? Why should you expect him to open up if you can't do the same? You're just as imprisoned in the cell of self. _

"I want to help you. _Let_ me help you."

"It has never been my attention to worry anyone."

"I know. But I do. I want so much for you. You deserve it, you've proven that, and you've earned it."

Deserve, proven, earned. Two of the three words he understood. The one he didn't was of most importance.

"Please be happy."

Tracing the contours of her skin with his thumb when their hands met in the area between the beds, Brooklyn turned to face the girl and nodded. She knew he understood. "I'm…trying. It's going to be okay. Everything will…work out."

Work. Out. Rye weighed the words of labor on her tongue.

She believed him. She wanted to and had no other reason to believe otherwise. "Are _we_ okay?"

Silent at first, the hesitation frightened Rye. Slowly, the redhead leaned over and kissed the surface of Rye's hand. "Yes. We're better than okay."

And again, she believed him, for not only did she trust him with his life, but with her own.

* * *

-Glomps Brooklyn- 

It is hard writing chapters after long periods of inactivity between updates! Oii, one more week of classes for me, then Christmas! Yes! I'm gonna try and squeeze as many updates as I can!

Tala's parents were inspired during my walk through this Hawaiian shirt display during the summer, lol.

Please read and review! Yea!


	7. 07

Merry Christmas folks! Hope you all enjoy the holidays.

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 07

**.:Bastard** **Academy:.**

* * *

Adjusting the collar of his polo shirt after slinging the jean jacket over his body, Brooklyn shoved his hands into the pockets of his khakis. The day was a lot cooler than he expected, and considering the brisk temperature in the heated halls, the boy slowly walked, debating whether he wanted to head back to dorm and grab another sweater before continuing on his way.

"Brooklyn!"

A voice called him from behind. Hearing the familiarity, he turned and smiled. "Hey Mariah, what's up?"

The girl looked a little frazzled and was taking quick short breaths to calm herself. Had she been running after him this entire time? He would have noticed and heard if she had.

Struggling to string words together, the pink-haired girl knit her fingers together as to prevent herself from nervous fiddling. "You heading to Rye's dorm?" It was a pretty obvious question considering their location in the girls' corridors, but it was a silence-breaking sentence nonetheless.

"Yup. Heading over to pick up my gal." Oh how Mariah envied that title. "The two of us are meeting up with Scarlett and Garland for brunch to celebrate Garland's victory. It's tradition. A _weekly_ tradition so it seems." the boy laughed.

Mariah loved the way his eyes sparkled when he spoke, how his chest would rise with warmth before his shoulders rolled back in light release. He was always complimenting others; she often found him overlooked! Instantaneously she felt her heart skip. She found it difficult to speak.

"You heading that way too?"

Nodding a little too fiercely, the girl swallowed. "Yeah, I'm meeting up with one of the girls, you know, to fix up our project and stuff. We're studying Mayan scriptures. Really cool. I love it."

She mentally bashed herself with the sentence. _Why not just stamp GEEK all over your face!_

"I'm glad you're so passionate about your work. I saw Scarlett working on her piece. Those symbols are pretty intricate."

She blessed Mary and all things holy that Brooklyn mistook her rambles as passion. Being in the boy's presence always set her off! Though she loved Brooklyn's company, she hated… the… mind _meld_…?

_What was I talking about again? Forget it! There's no hope in saving pride now. You're memory's plagued. You've totally forgotten Scarlett, your roommate for four years is in the Arts! Gah! Our steps are coming to a halt. That means I'm running out of time. Just open your mouth and-_

"Well, here we are. I'll see you around 'kay-?"

"Are you going to the upcoming formal?"

It came out slurrier than expected (especially since she had been practicing), but the boy's expression proved he had heard her.

"I…I don't know. Is there a formal coming up? Knowing Scarlett, she'll probably force us to go as a group."

For such an intelligent man, the guy sure was dense. "Well, I was wondering if…if you…you know, wanted to go with me."

Brooklyn's smile faded a tad. He furrowing his brows with slight confusion, "I don't think I understand. I thought you and Ray were going together."

Sure, _now_ the guy's wheels start turning. She tried to play it casual. "Ray and I are friends. He didn't ask me, so I thought, and if you aren't going with someone already-"

The presence of another silenced the pink-haired girl. If she had been nervous before, no way in hell would she be able to formulate words in front of a witness.

Tala gave the two a weird look before passing them by. Scanning the female over with a suspicious stare, those turquoise eyes finalized on the male, shooting him a glare of threatening accusation. Not particularly interested in the scenario at the moment, the boy left their silent encounter at that, as quickly as he appeared, the redhead disappeared again, turning his back on the two as he turned the knob of the door in front of them. The weighted door closed behind him.

A horde of screaming echoed the corridors seconds after the door clicked shut. Vibrations of heavy footsteps sounded the halls before a body hit the door hard on the other side.

Brooklyn stepped forward to turn the knob, but someone beat him to it. If his reflexes had been any slower, a body would have collided with his own.

Dripping hair cascading over her features, Rye clung to the towel wrapped around her body. Eyes wide with a blank expression, Tala's seemingly weightless body sat against the hallway walls, the shadow of one angry teen dawning over him.

Was he just _tossed?_

"I didn't see anything! I swear!"

"Uh huh? Now what exactly is this that you _didn't_ see!"

As if debating whether she wanted to hurl another object, better yet, which objects she could physically lift and hurl at the boy for his unannounced intrusion, Rye's eyes suddenly shifted from Tala's crouched position to the feet beside him, eventually locking eyes with Brooklyn.

If she had been angry and embarrassed before, she was in a whirlwind of emotions now. Self-consciousness hit her like an operatic gloved brick.

Stepping back as she took in all the members in the hall, Rye let out a breath before running a hand through her wet hair, taking a step back. She made a noise that sounded like suppressed screaming and simultaneously clenched her fingers into a first before squeezing her eyes shut. She grabbed the towel that had begun to fall dangerously low.

"Rye, are you alri-?"

"I'm fine." She quickly interrupted, struggling with the towel as she forced a smile. "Give me a moment would you? Nothing personal."

With that, the door slammed in the taller boy's face, a wave of screaming followed, if possible, at a higher frequency. A faint voice was introduced, but before either members in the hall could register the new voice, they heard yelling of "What the fuck?", "lock the god damn door!" and "teach your fucking boyfriend how to knock!"

More than two bodies felt sorry for the blue-haired girl, but most would agree it was better Ming Ming than them.

Mariah tried to laugh off the silence. "Yeah, ha. So um, think about what I said Brooklyn and get back- no, I'll call you or something." With a casual shrug, she smiled before waving, disappearing into the hall.

Reaching out to call her back, Brooklyn's moves were interrupted by a loud exhale.

Brooklyn merely sighed. This was probably not the time.

* * *

Loosing his tie with one hand while balancing the open newspaper in the other, the sound of Kai's crisp leather shoes echoed the massive halls of the billion dollar company. It was already half past nine, so the building was pretty much empty aside from the security guards on the even-numbered levels and the head honchos in the upper seats.

Clearly aware he was already late on meeting the guys, the exhaustion from being cooped up in an office all day did not exactly speed him along. His body told him he needed sleep but his mind told him to head over to the bar, '_be it half an hour even, you haven't seem the guys in over a week, it's the right thing to do_.' Mr. Hiwatari's co-op program, pulling him out of classes to get hands-on-experience in the firm, was a mode of building routine into his life as to engrave responsibility after graduation.

Opening the door to his office, Kai saw a blur of red hair spinning in his chair. A girl with light blue hair laid lazily on the leather couch, flipping through a spindle which contained the numbers of important executives and clients. The redhead was known for his unannounced arrivals, usually however, he didn't bring friends.

"I thought I was meeting you at the club." It was more a statement than anything else.

"Just had dinner with Ming Ming in the neighborhood so we decided to drop by and say _bonjour_," he laughed at his own cleverness. They were in the infamous French cuisine district. "You have a history of bailing on us if you don't recall. We're gonna escort you to the party." Stopping the chair, the redhead leaned back before propping his legs on the expensive table. Crossing his arms, he scanned his friend's professional attire. "What'cha reading there?"

Tossing his friend the paper, Kai walked over to the hanger, "Catching up on the stocks. Seems the man has taken a sudden interest in the oil industry." Kai began to unbutton his shirt, throwing his blazer on the couch just narrowly missing the girl before throwing a dark turtleneck over his head.

The blue-haired girl giggled at the scene, "You can change into your jeans here too, you know."

Ignoring that comment, he continued to walk towards the door of his private washroom, reappearing to toss the bottoms of his suit to the collection of clothing on the couch. "We ready to go?" He was slightly desperate for sleep.

There was another giggle as Ming Ming looked up, returning the index holder to the table behind her head. "Not yet, Kai-kun. We're waiting for a pizza."

The blue-haired boy raised a brow, eyes landing on the redhead. "I thought you two just ate?"

"We have, but you my friend, probably haven't eaten anything all day." Picking up the phone, the boy pretending to dial a few numbers, mimicking a feel of importance; the boredom was about to end. "Besides, we haven't had dessert yet. I'm up for a little Italian."

Ming Ming walked over to join her boyfriend, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind the chair. "You're so bad, Tala."

"Did you ring Bruce? Doors close at 8:55. Access cards in and out."

"How long has it been Ming Ming?"

The girl checked her glittering watch. "22 minutes."

"Let's give Bruce a call then."

Standing by the side as he watched his friend call the first floor guard, their years of friendship really provided insight to the other's thoughts. Kai vividly recalled the redhead's fetish for inflicting pain on the less fortunate, delivery folk being a prime example.

"Yup Bruce. The kid should look something like me. Maybe a little bit taller? Well, he'll be holding a pizza, that should be an instant give away." The redhead thanked the older man before hanging up. Clasping his hands in a satisfied manner, naturally, he changed the subject. "So we're heading to club Ménage. Ming Ming here has VIP passes."

Kai narrowed his eyes, "What was that all about?

The boy slyly shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"That was a rather detailed description of just any old random pizza boy-"

"Well, you'd be interested to learn, that as of today, my pointless pickings on pizza folk have ended, because, as of today, there is a reason behind my actions."

Kai walked over to the desk, not really following his friend's words. "Elaborate."

"It came upon my knowledge that Kon's bitch is cheating on him." The redhead looked up to see the expected surprised expression. "I know. Mariah doesn't seem like that type of girl so I too concluded that it was the male's work. I took it upon myself to prove to this boy exactly who he thinks he's messing with." He smiled proudly at himself. "I'm such a hero."

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door.

Kai looked up. "Cash or credit? I'm all cards."

Tala snickered at his friend's question. "2-4-1 Pizza and Wings policy states if they don't arrive in 20 minutes or less, it's free and on them."

The blue-haired girl just giggled at the male's spectacular repeat of the slogan. Kai had heard of these special delivery offers and knew the food came out of the deliverer's paycheck if not delivered on time. Even if this dude was the other man in the Kon-Wong relationship, this confrontation seemed inappropriate and rather off topic.

The door sounded again.

"Go on. Do the honors."

Shaking his head to signal his absolute disapproval, the blue haired boy had no other choice but to answer. _Let's relieve the poor kid of the humiliation and have him get on with life…_

He opened the door, and froze.

…

_Vyse?_

This had to be some mistake.

As the coldness of the outdoors transferred from his clothes to that of the surrounding, the said boy stood with two pizzas in one hand, and a bucket of wings in the other. In a ridiculous light blue t-shirt very much unfit for the current weather, a paper hat with some sort of button with a chicken logo was pinned on an angle. A red apron hung loosely from his hips, probably a device used to carry cash and change than anything else.

Treating the three no differently to that of other customers, he lifted the food towards Kai, staring at him, but not really making eye contact. "That'd be $32.50 please." Proper etiquette and customer service skills clung to him like a second skin, that last word had slipped out of his mouth, too late to be retracted.

Kai reached into his pockets, hoping he had some sort of change.

"No, Kai. If I am correct, 2-4-1 Pizza and Wings-"

Something he never expected to see flashed before Brooklyn's eye's that night, and as bizarre as it seemed, it made him, thee Kai Hiwatari feel uneasy. Was it the sudden shift in composure? Mechanisms to defend pride? He didn't know, but either way, a wash of protective instincts kicked in. Vyse was giving off unstable vibes, and few, if any at all, have probably witnessed enough of this odd behavior to make predicaments on possible future behavior…

_Stop over thinking Kai. He's Rye_'_s friend…_

His eyes twitched a little at those last few words, mind traveling too far for its own good. That separation between mind and body, something that always annoyed the Lee Estates heiress, often over expressed itself in threatening situations.

"Do you have a machine in the car-?" Kai found himself unconsciously taking out his wallet.

Tala merely cleared his throat.

Locking eyes with the tall male, Kai found something stronger than disgust, and it was directed at him.

"Take it."

Package pretty much shoved into his arms, Kai watched as the headmaster's other grandson turned away. Though the other two members in the room made loud remarks about his rudeness, threatening to file a complaint, laughing shamelessly all the same, Kai swore the laughter was directed at him.

Shit. How was he going to explain this one?

* * *

Personal experience. Stupid policies, on top of minimum wage! It's like working a day for free! Grr, twitch twitch. Must think festive thoughts…

Please read and review!


	8. 08

A long chappie for all you folks. A reminder that the Lee Estates is Rye's grandfather's property (Rye's father would have inherited it; passed to the oldest Lee male or only child) while the Empire refers to her mum's land, land she founded herself. As you all know, Rye is Melisande Lee, named after her mother, and father's last name. But for the purpose of this fic, she will usually be referred to as Rye, a name adopted to conceal her identity at Rene.

Righteo! Happy reading!

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 08

**.:Bastard** **Academy:.**

* * *

Gah! 

He wanted to complain, he wanted to whine, but a true artist of words would never throw such tantrums (at least not in public), this mild case of writers block will not get to him! All he really needed was a little inspiration.

Wandering through the dimly lit carpeted halls with no real goal or purpose, Enrique listened to the whining of the radiators and it comforted him. He had been getting nothing but criticism for his recent works all term and it was starting to take a toll. How did everyone else do it? Take Brooklyn, Garland, and Rye as the extremes, they made everything look simple! Even Scarlett, now under the guidance of the famous, first-ranked, orange-haired genius was starting to make the ranks; why couldn't he just spark _a_ piece of interest, an article, a biography even, anything to draw notable acknowledgment from the public. Just once.

It was late, half past nine if not nearing ten, and most people were either out- as in sleeping, out- as in clubbing, or out- as in wandering pointlessly because of their thick substanceless head!

The blond pounded his skull for stimulation.

Not really knowing if it were the pebbles juggling in his brain or actual footsteps in the halls, almost desperate on taking his mind off his work, or maybe because his curiosity had taken the best of him, the blue-eyed boy decided to follow the noise. Dramatically, he tip-toed towards the origins of the sound and was slightly taken back at what he saw.

Walking ever so casually in slacks and a tank top, Rye pulled her hair back with the elastic around her wrist, the handle of a small metal kit clasped between her lips. If the late encounter was not suspicious enough on its own, what added to the heat was the girl's strategic navigation through the halls. Females in the male corridors and males in the female corridors were definitely frowned down upon, especially during these hours. What struck the boy however, was the fact Rye was traveling nowhere near Brooklyn and Garland's dorm, in fact, she was traveling towards the lay-town district, the dorms of Rene's most bed-friendly males.

Dorm regions had a habit of developing reputations over the years. Enrique was a proud member of the paper-and-pen republic.

If only he could secure his position with some substance! Any story was a story at his current journalistic standing.

Pausing after gently knocking on the door, Rye bobby-pined a few stands of loose bangs before rubbing her eyes. She was clearly bed-ridden.

Rubbing her eyes…she wasn't wearing her glasses. _Well, she has 50-25 lens, she doesn't really need'em, only to study. _But hm, something about Rye felt different, yet naturally so, as if…

The door slowly opened, body barely recognizable from under the enormous comforter. The slate colored hair however, gave him away.

Kai coughed and sneezed painfully before inviting the girl in, guiding her by placing a hand at the nape of her neck, a rather friendly gesture, before adjusting the blanket on his shoulder, quietly closing the door.

Absorbing the scene, then playing it out in script form in his head, Enrique didn't understand. Sure, Hiwatari was obviously ill, but why Rye? They were of two different social groups, two feuding social groups at that! Should he be worried about her safety? Replaying the exchange between the two however, they seemed friendly, almost sibling-like if not more.

This was all too strange.

Not really understanding what took over, his body or mind, the blue-eyed boy found himself jotting the night's events in his handy-dandy notebook, starting from his own expedition in the hall. Whether it be the sudden spin on fortune that had taken him by surprise or the reporter in him that demanded answers, this little barter had given him an idea, and like his mother, the CEO and founder of _Attitude_ magazine always said, 'no publicity is bad publicity…'

…Right?

Dotting his i's, Enrique closed the pad and waited for any final events. Biting his lip, he hesitantly turned, taking the first step towards the direction in which he came.

* * *

Turning on the water boiler as she walked by the trudging teen, Rye picked up the lukewarm cup of tea- teabag still dangling astray in the muggy liquid, shaking her head as she proceeded towards the washroom. Emptying out the day-old drink, she returned also, with a shallow pan of water to provide moisture in the air through evaporation. 

Opening her little med kit, she took out a thermometer, flicking it in the air a few times before waiting for the teen to respond, "Open."

And he did. He felt his bed rise as Rye's weight disappeared. The girl walked towards the bathroom where a metal kit, very much similar to her own, was nailed to the wall. Opening it, Rye found the interior bare, but this was expected. Rye could only imagine all the times Tala and the goons had arrived home drunk, empting the medicine cabinet of its goods. They were even down to their last Band-Aid!

Transferring the essentials from her kit to that of Kai's, she silently wondered what the slut would say if he realized this medical haven in the form of a tin, a simple carrying device he most likely overlooked as a life saver (or life preventor, given the redhead's sexual drive), was his cousin's creation. The mini kit, owned by members of their little group, had quickly adopted the name, _nerd kit_.

Shuffling of blankets sent her back to the boy where simultaneously, she took the thermometer from the boy's mouth, reading the stat, before brushing those slate-colored bangs away from his face, placing a hand against his forehead.

She shook her head, meeting his face almost patronizingly, "You look like shit."

"Tank cyou."

She could tell he was struggling not to make a fool of himself with his congestion, lack of articulation.

Placing the thermometer back in the kit, she began to question his day's activities, "Have you had anything to eat?"

"Kon dwopped by with thome thicken thoup and thome overly piicy crap."

She held it in. It was too cruel, making fun of the weak and vulnerable. She could always count on Ray, not only a chef at heart, but a reliable and caring friend, to do good. The Asian had all the right tricks up his sleeves.

She passed the boy a pill and a glass of water.

He accepted it.

"Zinc to reduce infection and fight neutrophils."

Waiting for him to swallow, she passed the boy two more pills to which he also accepted. "Vitamin A and E for the immune system."

Groaning, he swallowed. "How many pwills to cover the witamin B compwex?"

The girl only narrowed her eyes, "Don't get smart on me Mr. Kai Hiwatari. I'm still gonna pound on you a little bit after you get better for the whole pizza ordeal. Subtly hint to Tala for me, how he could be fathering a football team right now if it weren't for Brooklyn and his nerd kit. Plan-B is only 89 percent effective. Should he ever run out for his women, the nearest drug-mart is over 72 hours away. Let's see how he reduces pregnancy then."

Tala and kids. He dared not imagine.

"Hmph."

The boy turned in his bed. "He tinks I did it?"

No response.

That was good enough an answer for him. That was how it had always been. Tala hated Brooklyn, Brooklyn hated him, and he and Tala were best friends. Throw in a few family ties and the whole relationship gets rather messy.

"I've never figured out what it is exactly that B can't look you eye-to-eye for, but I've narrowed it down to your father."

Should've figured. Most things originated because of the old man. He accepted the straightforward deduction, when it came from her.

Sitting in thoughtful silence, Rye elevated his head with an extra pillow to ease his dry cough. A hand much cooler than his body softly moved towards his abdomen, its weight causing Kai to shift his gaze on his friend.

"Strip."

"Huhn?"

He had expected a memorable if not intelligent follow-up, but this was-

"I'm gonna rub your body like no other…"

The boy sprung back against his bed. What the fuck?

"Clothes. Off. Now!" The girl lunged towards him, roughly tugging his shirt over his head.

Kai covered his body with his arms, "I am still a bwoy!"

Playing along, the girl shifted her weight until she was sitting directly on top of his body. Leg on either side, she threw her head back in an evil cackle, a tiny brown bottle in hand.

The boy instantly recognized the container. "I knew wit! I knew this wuff play was too good to be twue. Eucalyptus oil."

"A decongestant for the chest. Now be good and this won't hur-"

He grabbed her wrist. He had been sick once before during his acquaintance with the Lee Estate heir and he vowed right there and then that he would never allow that foul smelling stuff to come between them again. He was much stronger than her, even in his current health, no way could that stuff make contact with his body-

_Dwoop! _

Fuck. Damn advanced mechanisms used to transfer the crap. Rye had squeezed the bulb, the peppermint-like solution burning his skin upon touch. Unconsciously, he released her arm.

Big mistake.

She was strong when determined and given their current placement, his body pined under her dead weight, he needed both hands to restrain her one arm from rubbing the lotion against his chest.

…Not that he was really complaining; he just didn't wanna smell like a woman.

As his senses registered the hand that was traveling towards his ear, he set free an arm to swat it away.

She slapped him.

It was a pitiful excuse for a slap, but it took him by surprise nonetheless, which was probably the whole point.

With his face tilted to the side from the contact, she smirked triumphantly at herself as she rubbed the lotion behind his ear and along his neck. "All done."

"Dwirty twick."

"I had to conjugate new strategies after our last eucalyptus battle." She carefully pushed herself to a stand, grinning over him with a victorious gesture. "Kai Hiwatari," she pointed from him to her, "you just got bitch slapped, and whether you enjoy it or not, you now belong to me." Hands on her hips, she gave a sinister chuckle before jumping off the bed to pack her gear.

Normal women would have caved seeing his buttons undone, but Rye wasn't your typical girl. She didn't want him, and for that, he wanted her even more. She was oblivious to his needs and desires, and that was one of the sexiest things about her.

"I'm gonna grab you a clean shirt. I've labeled the vitamins on the counter and left instructions on which ones to take and when. There are three types of herbal tea. Drink it when you're thirsty, drink it to prevent dehydration, and drink it when you're bored; green tea loaded with antioxidants to rid your body of harmful free radical agents, lemon tea crammed with vitamin C, and hyssop, your favorite," he snickered at her sarcasm, "a member of the mint family for when you're bored of green tea and lemon. There's a cup of honey lemon water by your alarm," he turned and indeed found his mug steaming. Women and their magical maternal instincts, "and remember to gargle warm salt water in the morning if your throat feels swelly okay?" She paused to see if she had forgotten anything. Kai could see her mentally checking off items in her head. He cleared his throat for her attention. His voice was hoarse from their battle.

"Could cyou…could cyou stay the night?"

He could tell she had already pondered that option, for that reason he had chosen his words wisely. If he had asked "want to stay?" or "think you could stay?" she would have been given choice. He however, worded the question as a personal favor, and he meant it.

"I don't know. You know I want to, just look at you, you look absolutely pathetic," his lids dropped a little at the comment, "but what if Tala-"

"He and Ming Ming are wonna be out the woole night. Someving vabout VIP guests? Special wights? All night? I dunno. I think he's pwanning to stay over in your dworm anyways."

It was Rye's turn to drop her lids at the sentence, she shuddered. "I don't trust the sheets I sleep on." Hesitantly, she finally nodded before sighing. Untying her hair, she wildly shook the strands loose before hopping into Tala's bed. "I'm gonna be up and out early in the morning. I'll leave ya some soup. Remember to call me if you need anything like when you're too weak to bully Ray into cooking something for ya." Pulling the covers up, she gave the boy a teasing grin before clapping her hands. The lights shut. It was so like Tala to have a clapper installed in a school dorm.

"Night, Blue."

A hesitant reply.

"Thwanks."

She heard a sniffle and shook her head. As if she had a choice.

* * *

Gently running her hand over the dozens of frames on the display case, Rye's cheeks, even under the layers of powder and foundation, rose to form a smile. Lifting the picture to her face, she admired the natural stance of her mother, aunt, and father. The picture had been taken way before her parents got married, a copy, very much one of her favorite pictures, sat neatly on her desk in her room at the Lee Estates. Just by looking at the still, she could feel the ocean breeze run through her own hair. It had been a late summer day, the three were wearing light jackets. She often wondered how things would be if the two, her aunt and father, were still alive. Bringing the frame closer, she used her thumb to brush the dust away. Her mother had been the younger of the two. Rye's aunt, a nurse, had dull, soft features compared to her mother's naturally yet perfectly chiseled ones. Grey eyes, contrasting to Ms. Lovett's world renown blue ones, but very similar to her own, stared back at her. Amazing how two sisters could look so different. Genes had a way of skipping generations. Rye's eyes skimmed the smiling faces of her father, aunt, and mother once more. 

Clicking of heels forced her to return the picture. As fast as two legs bound in a silk mid-thigh dress could carry her, she ran back to her place by the far door, bending over to strap the bloody heels back on.

The shoes were trimmed with diamonds. They were real, her mother would have settled for nothing less. More jewels meant less circulation. This was going to be one painful three hour get-together.

Protected by the holy powers of Anastasie, the lippy solemn personal assistant and Ghita, the overly expressive Italian fashion diva, Ms. Lovett appeared, decked in a flowing knee lengthed white dress, scrunched in asset-emphasizing areas and smooth in other cheeky regions. Diamond slips, if possible, more painful looking than her own, graced her mother's feet, where sparking earrings, matching the plunging diamond necklace, drew attention towards her flawless face.

The theme of the night: Bling bling.

If her mother weren't a conniving bitch, she would admit the woman looked decent, if not deservingly beautiful.

Brushing her styled velvety black hair back with the tips of her fingers to look at Ghita, Melisande Senior's soft yet cutting voice soared through the empty room in question. "Is that a Francesca design?"

The man nodded, not completely sure if he was being complimented or scorned for his gown choice.

"Add her to the list. Have her send me her portfolio. Order another design in lilac, the color compliments her well." Peering through those thick lashes, her gaze landed on her daughter, scanning her over once more. "I like what you've done with her eyes, Ghita. Very good."

Slowly exhaling, the said man adjusted his collar modestly. "Thank you, Mame. I tr_y_ my best for you." Waving a finger at Rye, he gestured her to walk. "Show her what we've taught you."

Rye resisted the urge to snap her heels and slot them through the man's eyes. This was against everything she believed in.

Walking to the end of the room, in the most demented of manners, but apparently "the correct way of moving," Rye mentally recited the instructions to where her feet and arms were to be at each step. If all women of their rank walked in this dangerous fashion, leg in front of the other, at least lessen the coats of eyeliner and mascara so she could see! She felt like Barbie with a rod up her ass, and that was underplaying the scene. The damn metric tonne bracelet on her right arm was seriously affecting her balance. Though Hilda and the other fashionistas had offered to snap a brooch on the left halter part of the dress to "even out the weight," she had wisely declined. This was silk, not plywood. The last thing she needed was a flash-trip. She was starting to fancy the feeling of having her so-called "non-existent breasts" pushed up against her lungs. The "push and lift," or so-termed, should have been more correctly named the "puncture and lift," but who was she to judge? It was amazing how fashion defied the laws of gravity.

Ms. Lovett nodded at the walk, pointing and whispering to Ghita on how her ankles were still weak from a lack of training in heels. Tasie took notes.

Reaching the end of the walk, Rye placed a hand on her waist, throwing her head over her shoulder before giving a barely noticeable yet smoldering smile.

Ms. Lovett raised a perfectly shaped brow.

Ghita quickly replied. "We felt she was ready for the pouty s_e_x kitten look."

And Rye walked back. Clicking her heel for emphasis on the last step to pivot her body back towards the three adults.

Tasie and Ghita looked impressed. Her mother wasn't responding with any criticism, which meant-

"You may leave an hour early."

Cha Ching! She had hit the jack pot! One hour down, two hours of suffering to go. Take that! you filthy rich bastards with equally touchy, if not perverted sons.

The three made their way towards the hall entrance, pausing for Rye to join Melisande's side. Tasie unwilling made room for the girl by taking a step to the left.

Doors opening, as expected, more diamonds hit her in the face.

Rye fought back a choke. She felt her contacts melt from the light.

* * *

"I read she goes to some prestigious all girls school in Scotland-" 

"-I heard she was sent there because her mum found out she got breast implants-"

"-Love her dress. Hate her."

Walking past the party of preaching girls, Kai felt their eyes transfer from the host's daughter to himself. These girls, though rich by birth, were always hungry for wealth and men. Sadly for Kai, he was, if not had, both.

Tapping his hand against the counter, he nodded at the bartender who took his order. As revenge for all the hardcore liquor he had made Rye guzzle over the years, Rye had introduced him to fancy, fruity, tiny-umbrella-styled chick-drinks. The shameful part: He enjoyed them.

Swiftly, he held the drinks by the bell, walking towards his friend's direction. He could sense her distress signals from a mile away.

Coolly, he slid the drink past her ear, to which she turned, smiled surprisingly, and accepted. With his one free hand, he found her waist, escorting her towards the private halls. More than half a dozen pair of angry eyes shot him in the back. This however, did nothing for his nerves. It was the rivaling number of eyes from the opposite gender, the eyes glued to his cheeks (nope, the _lower _set) that made him feel somewhat uneasy.

Cameras began snapping away. This was, at the very core, a show-and-tell.

"We away from the public eye yet?"

Kai made some kind of haughty noise.

Instantly, Rye keeled over, grabbing the banister for support. Eyeing the pretty pink drink lusciously, she examined the glass. "Once I Exacto knife myself outta this dress, I'm gonna inhale this beauty. What percent?"

"Ten."

"And yours?"

"Forty."

"Let's trade."

And so they did.

Taking a sip of the liquid, Rye made a face. Blah! The girls were right; the boy had to have a body of a god to inhale this stuff. She had only been at it for an hour, chit-chatting with the men, and sigh, the women; only half the battle, and already, she was pooped.

Taking a turn past a few modern art pieces, the two arrived at a curtained entrance. Pulling one side of the twin topaz fabric up to wrap around a hook, Kai did the same with the other. Walking into the vacant and dark hall, the sounds of their footsteps were absorbed by the carpet, aware of the others' presence solely by the heat emitted from each others' body.

Taking off her shoes, Rye heaved herself onto the velvety cushioned window ledge, crossing her ankles as Kai joined her. This private tea room had been built especially for Rye's grandfather back during the early days of the Lovett marriage. After Rye's father had passed away however, the room was rarely, if ever used, most likely forgotten. It had been Kai and Rye themselves who rediscovered the place, cleaning it up for their own use.

She looked absolutely beautiful tonight, no matter how she complained about how the weight of the earrings gave her detached earlobes. He did wish however, that he could see more of those eyes, the makeup did nothing but emphasize the shape, drowning out those grey depths he had learned to love over the year.

"Thank you for coming by the way, though you should be in bed- Don't-" He had opened his mouth to counter, "If you can manage to hold back all sniffles and coughs, any wheezing that would hint illness, I will not preach."

Snickering, he shook his head with a soft smile as she tilted her gaze towards the window.

The Empire grounds were lit with millions of tiny white lights. Quite an elegant scene actually. Rye's mother had always been a woman of image, of sophisticated class.

"Very nice pouty sex kitten look back there by the way."

Ah, victory was sweet indeed. Though the two hated the business world, they both loved the competition.

Reaching into her dress, one hand against her chest to prevent the fabric from riding, she shuffled in her seat.

"Moving a little fast here, are we not?"

"Zip it." Pulling out what appeared to be a thin booklet, Kai accepted the mini stack of cue cards.

"I'm not even gonna ask."

"Mass weapons in here."

Kai rolled his eyes at the double meaning.

"These are the notes for the upcoming competition against Le Marc. You said you were willing to take over my business section, freeing me up to cover Garland's Lit and B's Sciences."

The blue-haired boy raised a brow. "You? Sciences?"

"I'll have you know I can recite a few good evolutionary theories. I'm all about trade-offs and the marginal value theorem."

"What ever makes you happy. There ain't no next time if we lose."

"Pfft."

He always knew which buttons to press.

Grabbing the cue cards roughly from his hands, she skipped a few to reach a particular highlighted point. "You're the underdog here, Hiwatari. Lets see, touching on recent developments on microstructure-"

He gave the answer, swift, brief, yet complete.

"…"

She skipped to another card. "That one was easy. I see you have a nice grasp on the _basics_."

As the two sat, an arms-race for maximum intelligence, Kai had a feeling the competition was no longer _between_ schools but _within _schools. That was how it had always been. He was always either fighting against the girl, or fighting for her. The latter proved to be more difficult…

He smiled.

…but so much more rewarding.

If only they could stay stationary like this, feeding off each others' nature with him silently questioning how a woman of her stature could overlook the feelings men, him included, had developed for her, or better yet, why the lights outside even bothered to shine when against the girl's beauty…

He couldn't take his eyes off her, and not wanting to creep her out from his constant staring, he decided to shift his gaze towards the window, stealing glances of her off the glass's reflection.

* * *

Almost time for the big, "who should Rye up with?" tally. The choices are either Tala (I lurve him!), Brooklyn, Kai, Other (!), or None. I'm curious to what your reflections are right now, though as events unfold, your perspectives may change, who knows! (I've met the Brooklyn supporters, lol). I shall announce the tally at the beginning of one of the upcoming chapters. 

Read and review! Read and review!

(Someone compliment me on my slick three day update! Whoot! Lol.)


	9. 09

A/N: We're finally at the halfway point for this fic now, I'm gonna try and pound out as many chapters as possible before I hit classes once again.

A "Frequently Asked Questions" section along with author notes and hints for this fic has been added to my profile page. Feel free to leave reviews, emails, messages with questions regarding confusion; if you find'em confusing, other people probably do too.

Righteo folks! Enjoy the chapter; it's a plot turner this one. And thanks for all the reviews! It really lit up my holidays! Wishing the best of 2006 for y'all!

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 09

**.:Bastard** **Academy:.**

* * *

"-Calvin, the land was left to the child, the girl under the _Lee_ name. The woman has no access to the grounds! Such a union will be of no use to you!" 

Kai froze by the doorway at the name, dropping a hold of the towel around his neck. Stepping back, he moved his body towards the wall, hoping the morning sun peeking through the windows would not give him away.

"Father," the word was stretched but firm. Kai could tell they had had this row before.

"-No, you listen to me." The older man stepped forward, voice dropping to that of an aggressive whisper. "There are certain rules in the business world that even we, the Hiwataris, must adhere to. Play hard, but play fair. **Men** do not gamble with children!" Voltaire slammed a fist against the table, body shaking from the repressed force.

Kai had never seen this side of his grandfather before; the crude man was displaying a set of morals.

"Father," now impatient for having been interrupted, "do you understand the _worth_ of that piece of land?" there was rustling of paper, "Oil, enough to double our fortune-!"

"She is not even 18!"

"No one is aware of the land's value, not even the old man."

"The Lee Estates is a monumental symbol, tourists, culture, riches. You do not tear down a kingdom to abuse its resources-"

The man took a step forward, staring his father in the face. "But I can."

"Is that what this is all about?" Having registered the conversation, the blue-haired boy's heavy footsteps had adverted their attention towards him. Boiling from anger, he threw his towel to the floor.

It surprised the two men. The boy had always been a man of extraordinary control, this questioned the truth to that statement.

"The stocks, your sudden interest in finite sources," it sickened him how he could've missed it before, he had been walking along side his father this entire time, "you're interested in buying the Lee Estates, just to tear it dow-"

Having been silent at first, the younger of the two men, his father, waved a finger at him, "This does not concern you Kai. I would like you to leave-"

"-This downright concerns me! You are messing with Rye and her grandfather here!"

Threading the boy's words together, Mr. Hiwatari gave a crude laugh. "My boy. If there's anything you're good at, it is attracting all the right women. I would like to think it genetic. I should thank you for having built such an intimate relationship with the girl. You have finally proved to be of some use."

His father's words made him sick to the stomach.

"After all, if I do not succeed in wedding her mother, I can still count on you to move in where I left off, with your precious Miss Riley- correction- Miss Melisande Lee."

Moving towards his father, a hand stopped him from advancing.

He locked eyes with Voltaire.

People did not come into the Hiwatari name with allies, it was every man for themselves. This was no different, the best do not take sides.

"You will be attending the Black and White party tonight then?"

Kai narrowed his eyes at the question. What party?

Calvin did not leave the confusion unattended.

"Lovett and I are announcing our engagement. Tonight."

Black and White gatherings were the most exquisite of their kind. One usually took months, if not years to arrange. Guests were flown in from across the world, only the best gowns, foods, and people- it was like a buffet for the paparazzi, and somehow, all this preparation had slipped past his nose.

Having had enough of this topic, Mr. Hiwatari straightened his suit before leaving, pausing to grab his son in the arm in an almost mocking manner. "Do not look so angry and distraught Kai. Today is a day of celebration, the uniting of two very powerful people. Just think, someday, all of this will be yours. Not bad considering I earned it all in a day's work."

Kai slid the man's hand off his arm, staring into eyes that appeared, if possible, even more foreign to him than ever. "Don't be so modest father. You're not that great."

There was no missing the revulsion.

Before the man could even register the words, the boy was off. Disgust was a two syllable word, renewed, for a nine figured man.

* * *

"Whoa Kai, nice going brother!" 

Looking up, Enrique mentally noted the male's expression as the cover of the latest _Attitude_ slid towards the blue-haired boy. This edition covered the recent Lovett party, world renown if not digitly expensive. Everyone wanted a piece of the action, the inside scoop. Having followed his instincts the night of the event, the blue-eyed boy had discovered both teens, Kai and Rye away from their dorms, having been given special permission to leave Rene for 'reasons undeclared.' This only proved one thing…

"The world's most eligible bachelor and bachelorette finally go public…" the redhead blinked at the title. Kai and Melisande? No way! His best friend would have personally told him if such news were true…

…Right?

"How did you manage to score someone as fine as Melisande, Hiwatari?" Grabbing the magazine from Tala, Johnny flipped through the pages to find pictures of the boy with the heiress. The photos were not much, there were a few featuring the boy as he offered the girl a drink, most however, were just shots (from various angles) of the two walking away, Kai's hand on her waist. Johnny shrugged, the two did appear rather friendly, even happy in the presence of the other. Almost couple-like, now that you mentioned it.

Tala came to the same conclusion.

Kai's expression remained distant, almost worried-like.

"Let's stop interrogating him already. These tabloids are total BS anyways."

Enrique was a little taken back. The redhead never complained about the articles before. Unless…

The blond strung the words together in his head. He could see it already: _The third man. Rene heir jealous and heartbroken over Hiwatari-Lee couple._ Enrique had been hesitant over his friends' discovery before, but this arrangement proved journalistic potential. This snooping around was also kinda fun! The adrenaline, sneaking around like a real reporter! Who knows, maybe he'll hand this in as his final report.

"How's babysitting been treating ya?" asked the amber-eyed Asian subconsciously. Ray had never been all that interested in the entertainment world. He had better things to occupy his time with, like figuring out why Mariah was angry at him all of a sudden. She was cold and distant when around him. This really screwed up his plans for asking her to the formal.

_Holding the door open as the pink-haired girl exited the class, the dark-haired boy ran after her, she having obviously missed him, a quick escape._

"_Mariah! Hey, how've you been?"_

_No answer._

_He tried a different approach. "Um, is everything alright?"_

_Stopping, the girl slowly turned towards him in a haughty manner. "Everything is fine." With a 'hn,' she picked up her pace, rounding the books with her arms._

…_O-kay…_

_Catching up with the girl once more as she turned a corner towards the library, Ray placed a hand on her arm, spinning her to face him. "Is it me? Was it something I did? Something I said?"_

_The pink-haired girl gave an irritate huff. "Raymond Kon! I expected better from you. How could you do such a thing to Brooklyn? What has he ever done to you?"_

…_Yeah, no. This wasn't making any more sense. Whatever he had done to offend Mariah involved Brooklyn, he got that bit…_

_Was she telling him to find the orange-haired boy? Cause if he had any answers that could lighten the load on his mind right about now, he saw no loss. Tala and 'em were the masters when it came to the female-department. Shaking his head in hopes of clearing some confusion, the amber-eyed boy debated whether interrogating Rye_ _and Scarlett would solve the problem. Those two were close with Mari. _

"_I ah… I mean, I um…"_

_Way to play it cool, Ray._

_Somehow, his disorder seemed to only aggravate the girl more. Placing her hands on her hips, she peered at him, an angry stance, "Raymond Kon! Playing stupid, eh? Well, you know what? If you 'don't know' what you did, I'm not going to tell you!" _

_With that, the pink-haired girl stormed into the library, the librarian shooting him dirty looks for the commotion the two drew behind the glass doors._

Ray sighed. Women were such layered creatures. So difficult, so very difficult.

Tala's sudden voice adverted him from his problems

"Babysitting still sucks ass." It was a lie. With Rye there half the time, the kids were definitely a lot more behaved. He could now walk around the estate without kids gripping him by the belt. Ditch'em once during hide-and-seek, and he loses their trust! They literately followed him everywhere!

Rye had a way with children. It sorta reminded him of his parents. There was a calming personality balance between him and the girl.

He shuddered at the sudden thought, "Thank god I've only got a week or so to go. My heart ain't built for such challenges."

And indeed, his heart was not.

The Lee Estates had a way of bringing out the best in people. This was starting to affect the way his life was run.

* * *

"You know, Kai. I love you and all, but I'm starting to think you're following me." 

Passing her friend a glass of punch, the girl smiled before tipping her glass towards his, then lifting the glass towards her lips in one long, swift, smooth motion. She acknowledged the boy's absorbed expression, passing it off as social anxiety before linking arms with him, taking him away from the refreshment table and onto the dance floor.

Their exchange did not go unnoticed, millions of cameras began flashing. This had been an open event, where tonight, one night only, nothing on the Hiwatari grounds was out of bounds. Selected photographers from selected magazines had been given special access for fan coverage. All shots however, by code, had to cross Hiwatari eyes before hitting the papers. This was no small gathering. Everything had to be perfect.

Kai tightened his hold of the girl by pulling her small body towards his own. How perfectly they seemed to mesh. One hand in hers and the other on the cut of her backless dress, he moved his head softly so his cheek rested against the feathery texture of her hair. Holding himself back from whispering his mind into her ears, he closed his eyes, mentally running over his options, questioning what he should do.

Surprisingly, the girl did not resist the intimacy of their setting. Moving her hand to rest softly around the boy's neck, she allowed her head to rest peacefully on his shoulder.

She smiled inwardly at herself, she often teased the boy about his distinctive scent: the smell of wealth. "Hope you didn't forget about our little tea party with grandfather tomorrow."

"Mn."

The girl resisted the urge to raise a brow. Any small movements, especially this close to the boy, would give her suspicions away.

"My dress is rising from all this grinding."

"Mn."

'Mn,' eh? Just as she thought.

"We'll meet tomorrow in my dorm before heading over. Bring Tala. I'd like to have a nice mass orgy with'yall and Ming Ming before heading over to the estates. Morning love-making really brings out the hunger in me."

"Mn."

Parting a little so her face was directly in front of the boy's, Rye placed a hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her.

"I just offered myself to you in an arousing foursome with Tala and Ming Ming and all you can say is 'Mn'?"

The boy shook his head, momentarily bringing a hand towards his temple in a tired manner. Rye watched his lids slowly close, as if washing visions from his view. "Sorry, it's just I'm a little preoccupied right now. I've got a lot on my mind."

She was starting to worry, but suppressed it. If the boy sensed any negative strings from her, he would shut himself up. He had always been one to take burdens on his own.

"Tell me."

It was not an order, but an invitation. Smiling at him with a reassuring look, she ran a thumb across his cheek.

He wasn't sure what exactly he was searching for, but found himself placing a hand over hers, bringing those delicate fingers to nest once again, around his neck.

He dipped her, very much a number in their standard waltz routine. Swinging back, the two swept the dance floor before Kai slowly whispered into the girl's ear. "This isn't a party."

The girl tensed, but kept her legs a moving. Registering the band's change from a 3/4 classic to that of a 6/8 Viennese waltz, their pace sped up, but nonetheless, together they flowed a part of the counter-clockwise mass.

The boy continued. "It's an engagement proposal."

She relaxed a little but didn't understand. "This is about your fear of weddings?"

She had always been a little slow when it came to relationships, but then again, he was like a piece of clean slate when it came to giving hints. He tried to word his insinuation differently. Waiting for an opening in the crowd before sliding pass a wary couple, still very much a part of the line of dancers, Kai didn't want others to hear what he was about to say. He wanted to deliver it softly cause god knew, he and Rye had both been sent to Rene on similar notions, an arm to improve anger management.

"Look over your left shoulder as we make the next turn. Who is your mum dancing with? This is an _engagement_ party. An engagement party on Hiwatari land."

Obligingly so, Rye forced a smile before tilting her head back, gracefully over her shoulder.

Her body snapped at the realization, but Kai kept her movements from giving them away.

"No."

"Yes."

"When?"

"This morning."

Before she could even form intelligent questions in her head, the band was cut, Mr. Hiwatari looking rather dashing disguised in a rich tailcoat, a white-tie occasion, tapping a spoon against a wineglass to hail attention. Ms. Lovett, clad in a beautiful white dress, had her arm gently around the man's own, an intimate gesture, but not one big enough to give away the extent of their seconds-away broadcast.

Rye tightened her hold around Kai's hand as they were ushered forward by the movement of the guests.

She suddenly found it inappropriate to be touching Kai in such a manner and stopped, stationary in the crowd, before slipping her fingers away from the boy's own.

Something flashed before the boy's eyes, but Rye assumed that he too, had come to the same realization.

"No Rye. Nothing has change and nothing is going to change."

The speech began.

"We are all gathered here today on this joyous occasion to celebrate not only the success of one, but the power of two, uniting past business into life, a life which I call family…"

Instantly, like wind over a meadow, a wave of whispers spread over the people.

"It had been on our minds for months, if not years, but not willing to heed to the other by order of competition," soft laughter erupted across the room. The people in this building lived and shared standards equal to his father's, "our feelings were questioned and tested one after another."

Mr. Hiwatari shifted a little before guiding his bride-to be towards the mic. Ms. Lovett lifted her lashes over the audience, a very feminine gesture, but instantly, words of how "perfect" the two were for each other, rose from the lips of hundreds.

Ms. Lovett smiled, where, like the early years of her career, her unchallenged beauty silenced and drew the attention of all.

"After months of life-changing decisions, Calvin and I have decided to-"

"I can't do it."

Kai couldn't stop the tears from steaming down her face. Instinctively, she moved towards him.

He pulled her close.

An uproar of applause sounded the room as cheers and hooting from close associates and friends for the soon-to-be bride and groom filled the hall. One would think everyone had mistaken this to be their first attempt down the aisle.

Cameras began flashing, forcing Kai to tighten his grip around the girl only more, shielding her from any and all potential threats and harm directed their way.

Trained all his life for this lifestyle, the blue-haired boy's mind told him to smile, to pass off the girl's tears as tears of happiness at the uniting, but that was too cruel and most unfair; they were both- no, they were _all_ lateral steps to his father's game of world domination.

If Ms. Lovett was anything like the woman Rye made her out to be, she would call off the wedding.

Because the last thing he wanted to see, were two women, crying over Hiwatari men.

* * *

In chapter five, Ms. Lovett lectured Riley about the men in her life, suggesting she should start dating. Labeling Brooklyn unworthy, Kai unfavorable, and Tala most attractive- we now understand her prejudice towards the Hiwatari name- she was saving Mr. Hiwatari for herself. 

Please read and review.


	10. 10

As promised, here's a quick slick update. Booya! Enjoy the chapter.

A/N: The Lee Estates is of Asian decent, note the name Lee. Yeea yeea is Chinese for grandfather.

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 10

**.:Bastard** **Academy:.**

* * *

"What am I going to do yeea yeea? You know I've never been a fan of weddings. Given the fact that I don't exactly support this one, people are gonna have to pry me from the ceremony cause I'm pulling one of those run-down-the-aisle objection thingys." 

Tapping the area by her cup in a respectful manner as the tea was poured, the girl gave a huff as her grandfather placed the tiny pot back on the coal heater. Immune to his granddaughter's complaints, the elder absorbed the information, stroking his beard with one hand as he lifted the antique cup towards his lips, the steam tickling his nose, nodding with that same wise expression Rye had grown up seeing.

"Mn."

Rye groaned. "What's with this 'Mn-ing' thing? Do people just replace audible sentences with random mechanical grunts now?"

Palette in hand, standing on the lush grass by the open gallery, Kai gave a responding 'hn' before continuing along with his painting.

The Lee Estates had been booked off entirely for Rye and Kai this day, no other visitors allowed. Traditional tea ceremonies required peace and quiet, and though the lack of quiet due to the girl's rants destroyed the peace, spending quality time with his granddaughter and her best friend, the young Hiwatari heir, was already more than he could ask for. He was after all, in this day and age, viewed by common younglings as your typical boring, old man.

Though the sliding doors were open, allowing the cool breeze in and the scent of rich tea out, the baffle boards in the cultured room absorbed much of their speech, leaving Kai relatively undisturbed as he listened to the flow of the rolling river, mimicking its movements on paper as he began the base of his favorite ruby red bridge.

"Your mother has lived a hard life, losing her husband. She deserves happiness."

"With that bastard!"

Kai looked up. Rye apologized, she couldn't control herself.

Raising his hand towards the boy's direction to which Kai sensed, Kai carefully laid the pallet on a chair before walking over to join the two. Kneeling on a beautifully embroidered silk pillow, Kai bowed as the man poured him some tea.

Through the boy's letters requesting access on the Lee Estates for his portrait, the elder had sensed the depth and sincerity of his spirit, and if his senses were correct, the passion in his heart had only deepened since his last visit. This love however, was directed towards something much more animate than his painting, but equally as frail.

Rudely shifting her body back, Rye switched from her knelt position to a simple cross-legged position, bringing a knee forward and up towards her chin. "If Kai and I become siblings, Brooklyn is going to freak. Can life get any worse?"

"Who is this popular Brooklyn and why haven't you brought him to meet me?"

His voice was slow and hoarse with age.

Scratching the back of her head, Rye gave an embarrassed laugh. "It's a long story, hard to explain."

"I've got time."

Sensing the girl's tension, Kai took a sip of the mellow flavor before calmly lowering the cup to relieve his friend. "For reasons either forgotten or unknown, a feud concerning three males at our school, is how it has always been. Brooklyn is the hardworking and intelligent second grandson of the headmaster. Not only a close confidante of our Rye here, but a chap she seems to fancy."

Rye instantly blushed at the summary punching her friend in the arm.

The elder watched the exchange, the boy had just as much tested her as he had informed him. The pain of unrequited love. Men of such depth and consideration were rare these days, and as much as he loved the free-mind of his granddaughter, the girl could learn a few things from this boy- restrain, when to hold her tongue, especially in the presence of the enemy, women like her mother. There were more to people than first impressions.

"Brooklyn lives such an undeserving life, a life more screwed than Tala's mind."

The old man raised a brow, "There is a Tala?"

"The first grandson of our headmaster."

"And Blue's best friend, that slutty bastard."

Her tone clearly indicated she thought Kai could do better.

Once again, the old man stroked his beard. Teenage feuds were rather strange these days, family against family. "Following the pattern, I shall take it that you and Brooklyn do not get along but Rye and Brooklyn do?"

The boy's eyes darkened slightly as if trying to understand the scenario himself. "Yea."

The elder leaned back in thought.

"Vyse and I just don't see eye to eye I guess…"

"Whoa! I've never noticed the cyclic pattern before! Kai and Tala are friends, Tala hates B and B doesn't like Kai. Yet I like B, I like Kai, and I think Tala should die." The girl grinned to herself, uncrossing her legs again to resume the kneeling position before taking a sip of tea. "It almost rhymes."

Rye's grandfather narrowed his eyes, studying the boy's face. "Young Kai, what did you say the boy's last name was?"

Kai slowly replied, not knowing where this conversation was heading. "You mean Brooklyn? It's Brooklyn Vyse."

"Son of Dr. Damek-?"

"-Son of Dr. Damek Vyse."

That was the first time the boy had heard anyone, even Rye, say the full name.

"Where is Dr. Vyse now? Is he-"

"He is in jail."

The man stopped but quickly gathered himself. "This is most bizarre..."

"Why, yeea yeea? What's so strange? Did you know Brooklyn's father?"

The blue-haired boy was just as eager for the reply.

"Yes. We all did," by this, he meant himself, his son, and Rye's mother. "Dr. Vyse was the man who delivered you, Rye."

Kai narrowed his eyes. What did this all mean?

* * *

"You may come in, Miss Lovett." 

Turning the knob and stepping into the office, Rye was surprised to see not one but two bodies. The lean frame of her nemesis, the redhead himself, sat happily on the edge of his seat (one would assume it was his second home) cutting open a package of what appeared to be Smoothie Mix Skittles.

As the body of the other made contact with the only other leather chair in the room, the haughty boy looked up at the sound. _What the hell?_ He popped a strawberry flavored candy into his mouth.

_Hold on, I got pulled out of lunch hall for this shit?_ What was this all about? She hadn't done anything wrong. Maybe, if luck permitted, she was a witness in the Valkov-is-an-ass trial. Damn. Wish the headmaster gave her time to bring her duel-tang of accusations.

Immediately, the headmaster began. "By now, you two are probably wondering why I called you here today."

Indeed Rye was, but Mr. Tala over there seemed to be enjoying himself as he arranged the pastel colored candies into their color groups.

The headmaster noticed the girl's sudden shift of eyes and quickly intervened, "Tala, concentrate would you?"

Apologizing, the boy brought his chair forward and leaned back, staring his grandfather in the face.

The old man shook his head. "Now. Where were we? Ohyes. According to your families," the man eyed the two individually, "a compromise has been made." Looking at his grandson who had once again shifted his attention back on the Skittles, a rather skilled arrangement of a purple elephant with pink toes on green grass sat neatly on his side of the table. Slamming an empty mug over the candies, the boy traced the hand back to his grandfather's face who finally rolled the candies towards himself. He shot the boy a stern stare. "You may have these back later."

"Sorry, sir. I'll listen for real this time." Sensing his grandfather's impatience, he even passed the man the crumpled piece of pink packaging. "Please. Continue."

"So," the man leaned back in his chair once more, confident both students were listening this time. "I usually do not do things such as this. Actually, I've never done something such as this, but given the special circumstance between both parties of adults, these adults being your parents, and if you two agree, your parents would like very much for you two to attend the formal together."

Tala instantly rose to his feet. "Go to the prom with her?" he pointed a finger at the teen, "Bullshit! Fuck that! Let me talk to mum and dad!"

"I was under the impression that you brought Rye home, introducing her to your parents. Was there such an event?"

The redhead swallowed, feeling the pulsing stares shooting him from the side. "Maybe," he rose his hands to defend himself, "but it was all a misunderstanding. She and I were paired, unwilling if I may add, for an Eco assignment. We did really well by the way. I got an A."

Mr. Valkov looked at Rye who confirmed the mark with a nod. He had a feeling the girl took on most of the work.

"But the prom. I'm not going with her. We can't stand each other. Tell him Rye. Tell him how you think I'm an ass."

"He is an ass."

Fiercely nodding, the boy pointed towards himself.

"Hm. Interesting." The man studied the two. By now, Tala had retaken his seat. "Do you two already have engagements? Is that the thing?" He eyed the girl first.

Sadly, the female shook her head. "Well, no…"

"I do! I'm going with Ming Ming!"

"Please, Tala. Can we see a more gentlemen-like display?"

Closing his mouth, the boy held it in.

"I'm sure Ming Ming is a girl of many talents," a girl of many talents indeed she was, both teens cocked their heads at that, "I've seen her in a few musicals myself…"

"So musically talented, the girl blows more than just instruments…"

Tala kicked her calmly under the table. She used a hand to cover her mouth, suppressing the pain.

"However. Is she a girl you can see yourself with twenty years from now? Does she make you laugh? Does she make you yell? Does she challenge your body and mind? Will she make your parents cry?"

Rye snickered. The man was good.

"All I'm trying to say is, you two may not see it, but your parents see in you, potential to be an interesting couple. May it just be friends even, it is just a formal. You two have plenty of parties and banquets to attend in life. Why not give this a try? Give it a chance. You might even find that you enjoy each others' company."

There was an awkward silence.

"So, what do you two say? I've got high hopes for both of you. And Tala, the last thing I want to do is spoil you the way I did your father. You need to start making smart decisions." The man smiled warmly, in the end, this was up to them. "Well?"

Hesitant, not making eye contact with anything else but the fuzzy patch on the carpet, Rye gave a small shrug.

Crossing his arms, the boy gave a "Pfft, whatever."

The older man nodded. "Very well then. I shall take that as a yes." Dismissing the two with a wave, he rose an arm, ushering the two to leave before they could change their minds. "Excellent."

Pausing at the door, not enough room for the two to escape simultaneously, the dark-haired girl shot the boy a look, "Haven't you heard of ladies first, jackass?"

The boy pretended to look offended, quickly taking the opportunity to slide through the door. This only earned a growl from the other teen. "Ladies first my ass! I see no women here. All I see is a Brooklyn-loving, greenhouse-geek!"

Rye shook her head at the poor insult. "Oh, _real_ clever! What the hell does that mean? I told you! I was at the Estates on an internship. An in-tern-ship. Do I need to spell it out for you? Just because the place has grass and trees, does not mean I tend to plants. Christ! Why do I even bother explaining things as advance as this to you? You're such a tard."

"I know you are, but what am I?"

Suppressing the need to strangle that neck of his, the girl stepped out of the office, purposely ramming him into the photocopier before slapping her ass in a "kiss this" motion.

Tala, throbbing with contempt, limped his way out the door after the girl.

Hand on his temple, the headmaster blinked a few times before checking his invoice messages. Whatever it was the parents saw in these two, it was small, microscopically nonexistence even. He had fulfilled his side of the bargain, more as a dutiful grandfather than anything else. The rest was up to the two, a psychiatrist, and a mighty set of paramedics.

* * *

Pacing the room as he sprayed the windows and swiffered the cabinets, Brooklyn cast a glance over his shoulder to see his friend and dormie polishing his rack of trophies. "Your collection's getting large. How are those scholarships coming along?" 

Taking a seat on his desk, the light haired boy shrugged. "They're good. I'm good. Pretty sure two of the placements are secured; Johnny however, is really challenging me for that top football scholarship. This isn't going to be an easy win."

The orange-haired boy shook his head, Garland had always been a competitive one. He had a family of athletes to live up to.

"You solve that Mariah-formal façade yet?"

"Can't." there was a pause. "Don't have any classes with her and it doesn't feel right finding her at her dorm. She said she would call though, after I've given it some thought."

"Remind me again why you aren't considering it?"

Leaning his weight on the end of the Swiffer, the boy sighed. "Mariah's a nice girl, but the girls at Rene are all nice. I guess what I'm trying to say is we don't have any chemistry. She doesn't even understand my chemistry jokes, not like Rye."

Garland raised a brow but continued polishing those trophies, never looking up. "Not like Rye, eh?"

"Yeah. Besides, aren't we going as a group? You, Scarlett, Rye, and myself? I'm much more comfortable with that arrangement. I've never attended one of these dress-formals before."

Smiling to himself, the older boy nodded, silently agreeing with his friend. "Definitely. Me, Scarlett, you and Rye. In that order."

Having obviously missed the hint, the cerulean eyed male tossed his pal another towel. Catching it with one hand, Garland moved onto the next trophy. "In that order exact. I'm actually kinda excited now. My first social event."

The boy couldn't help but laugh. Man, some people were just clueless.

* * *

For fun, Damek is Czech for Earth while Ghita (our favorite fashion diva!) is Italian for Pearl (hehe) and Anastasie French for Anastasia (which is Greek for 'of springtime') for my sister who thinks I've been spelling it wrong all this time. And Lovett, the history for that name's pretty cool, but I shall hold myself back from lecturing. I love naming things! So much fun, so much fun! 

As for the 'tapping the table when drinking tea thing,' Rye did in the second paragraph of this chapter, it is known as finger _kowtow_, the finger-tapping ritual of thanking someone in the traditional Chinese-style _yum cha. _It has much historical significance. When a tea-sipper taps the table with two fingers of the same hand, it is a silent expression of gratitude to the member of the party who has re-filled their cup, a gesture tracing back to Imperial obeisance. The Qianlong Emperor who use to travel incognito, while visiting Southern China, went into a teahouse with his companions, where, upon respect, found the need to bow and honour their emperor before drinking the tea. In order to conceal his idenity (since a horde of males throwing themselves to the floor to bow would give him away) kowtow was created, one finger representing their bowed head and the other representing their prostrate arms.

My parents told me this when I was young. I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Smoothie Mix Skittles are slick. It's the only kind I eat.

Please read and review!


	11. 11

Happy reading folks! Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

Euphrosyne's Fic III – 11

**.:Bastard** **Academy:.**

* * *

"Sorry, sorry! Sorry I'm late guys!" Joining her friends who flagged her down as she entered the café-diner, the dark-haired beauty slid into the booth beside Rye, smiling as she acknowledged her brother and Brooklyn with a wave. 

Reaching over her friend to grab her purse and jacket, Rye tossed the gear onto the window ledge, giving them all more space to move.

"Where were you at, so early in the morning?" asked the burly teen.

Rye innocently whispered under her breath, "Yeah, Scar, cause you smell like jock."

This earned the girl a kick in the shin, jolting her forward onto the table.

Rye tried to play it off cool. It was not easy. "Just grabbing a napkin. Setting up the table." Her hand had landed conveniently in front of the napkin dispenser. It was the first thing that came to mind.

The cerulean-eyed boy gave a small laugh. "Here." He passed her the tin.

Accepting the napkins, she placed it to her right, not really knowing what else to do with them. She resisted the urge to shoot her friend a glare. Scarlett was fully aware of her crush on Brooklyn! This was going to cost her.

"Some girls said they saw you leaving with Johnny. Is this true?" The boy narrowed his eyes on his sister.

Scarlett refused to cower but didn't know what to say.

Now handing out napkins for all, Brooklyn gave the girl a reassuring smile. "That isn't true, Garland. Rye said Scarlett called her in the morning, she went out early to the Arts department, had to rotate her project."

Instantly, Scarlett nodded. "Yeah, papier-mâché warps with temperature. Went down to rotate." She gave her friend's hand a squeeze under the table in silent thanks. Ever since the time Rye walked in on Tala and Ming Ming making babies, the girl took extra precautions when it came to entering public places. Coincidently, it had been the girl's discretion that eventually led her to the one secret Scarlett had worked so hard to hide, her relationship with Johnny.

But if there was anyone she could trust, it was Rye. Not only was Rye excellent at keeping secrets, the girl's busy schedule took up much of her life, leaving her little time to question the girl's love life, yet leaving her just enough time to listen, when their underground relationship got rough. Scarlett vividly recalled one of Rye's questions.

"_Scarlett," the grey-eyed girl rolled on Mariah's bed to land on her back. The pink-haired girl had stepped out of the room, something about finding Brooklyn. Scarlett found her roommate often looking for her brother's best friend, she assumed it was because she needed tutoring, much like herself._

_Rye continued, "Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not purposely probing you, just interested about human nature in general," the girl looked her seriously in the eye, "Why are you with Johnny anyways? You're smart, athletic, and obviously attractive. Why go through all this trouble for him?"_

_The girl was silent at first. "I dunno. Maybe…" she gave it some thought, "Maybe it's because he's willing to go through the same trouble for me…"_

"Alright, Scarlett. As long as you were out working. I don't want to hear anymore of this 'out with Johnny' thing. It's giving people the wrong ideas. He's a total ass anyways."

"He is not an ass, brother. He's…he's just developed a case of rectal-anal inversion."

The boy slowly raised a brow. "I see Brooklyn's tutoring has definitely been helping you."

The other two teens at the table sniffled a laugh. Thankfully for Scarlett, the waiter arrived with their food. The four were regulars here, for Garland was a man of mass accomplishments in his games, earning much needed congrats.

Adjusting the plates, Garland reached over his saucer, accidentally cutting himself on the metal kettle. He withdrew his hand.

"Garland! You're bleeding." The dark-haired girl quickly wrapped a napkin around her brother's finger.

"Oh, don't fuss. I just cut myself."

Standing to search the jackets for her own, Rye retrieved her bag, taking out a small metal kit.

Brooklyn smiled.

The _nerd kit._

"Males. You've probably severed a limb, but will bleed to death before admitting you're hurt." She passed Brooklyn some disinfectant since he was at a better angle, not to mention, a pro when it came to cuts and bruises.

Garland rolled his eyes at the three tending to his nearly invisible cut. "That is not true. We males have no problem admitting pain. Maybe you women are just overreacting."

Both girls released the boy's hand, leaving the orange-haired teen to tend to the injury. Sensing the stares, Brooklyn looked up.

Oye. Dangerous water Garland was treading on.

"Is that so, Garland? Is that how you view us women?"

It was Scarlett's turn to speak. "I'm very much convinced men are the more predictable of the two genders. For example, don't you guys have this built in list of words you use when you ignore us? Words like uh huh, sure honey, and yes dear."

"You tell him, girlfriend!"

"Ah, just like Pavlov's theory with the meat, the dogs, and the bells. Stimulus and response." Nodded Brooklyn, linking the words of the females to that of his own knowledge.

Garland only stared. His friend was so obsessed with learning, so absorbed with comprehension, he didn't even realize the girls were putting him down!

Those cheekbones rose once more as Scarlett opened her mouth to speak. "And I'm totally onto you men. Every time you say, 'It'll take too long to explain,' what you really mean is, 'I have no idea how it works either.'" Very much satisfied with herself, she bit a carrot for emphasis.

"What exactly does it mean when a guy says, 'It's a guy thing?'" asked the other girl, now that they were on the topic of deciphering male lingo.

Brooklyn rose a hand, "It means there is no rational thought pattern connected to what I'm saying and you have no chance of making it logical."

Garland held back a choke. Whose side was this guy on anyways?

The girls laughed at the boy's excellent answer, earning him a rub on the cheek from Scarlett and a giant smile from Rye.

* * *

"Are you paying attention?" 

"Uh huh…"

Gritting her teeth as they got off the escalator, Rye rolled her eyes. It had been the redhead who suggested they go shopping together, very much convinced she was incapable of dressing herself, incapable of good taste, therefore, embarrassing him in front of the school population on the single most important social gathering of their high school year: prom. They had already entered ten stores, all to which were unsuccessful. Even if they did manage to buy a dress, she doubt she would wear it. As plain as her clothes appeared to be, everything was custom made, tailored, and designer. Her mum, Tasie, and Ghita, did not believe in retail.

"There's some hot babe around isn't there?"

"Uh huh…"

He was oblivious to her questions, Rye twitched. "Show some respect would you? You and your women. I don't want to be here either," but already, the boy had drifted off track, moving towards the water-works where a thin leggy blond was situated. She grabbed him just as he was about to head back down the escalator.

"Stop undressing her with your eyes already. We're in public."

"I'm having an introspective graphic moment."

"I'm out of estrogen and I have a gun."

That caught his attention.

"Chill woman. Jeez, you PMS-ing or something? Lower the mood swings."

She hated PMS comments, to this, she grunted, "Most women complain about PMS, but I like to think it's the only time when I can be myself."

Tala shuddered. That was a slightly frightening thought.

Entering a department labeled "for petite," two women instantly took Rye by the hand. Dresses of every size, cut, and color where brought against her body, a woman to her left measured her bust and height.

From the mirror, Rye could see Tala casually eyeing a pair of girls as he unconsciously spun a rack of skirts. Instantly, one of the girls looked up, frowned, before pulling her friend away.

Rye laughed at the exchange. "You know Valkov. You might just have more luck with women if you paid attention to the one you are with. Aka. Me!"

Stepping into one of the change rooms, a long rack of dresses from coral to black followed her in, causing the change room door to snap on its own, closing down on Tala's fingers.

The boy swore. A few women left with their kids.

Quickly, Rye told the boy to get down on his knees, shifting her bag with one hand, she held the boy's throbbing fingers in the other.

Though he felt like he had been hit by a bus, snapping his fingers in two, he wasn't about to show it. "Don't fuss. I just clamped my finger. It's no big deal."

Recollecting the conversation in the diner earlier that morning, Rye smiled. "Guys. You've probably severed a limb but will bleed to death before admitting you're hurt."

"Pfft, you think you know our kind so well." Wincing, the boy watched as the girl pulled out a tin, opening it to scrimmage for disinfectant before ripping a package in her teeth. She wiped the cotton swab against his skin.

Tala narrowed his eyes on the box. Something about that tin looked awfully familiar. He swore Kai had one of those in their room. He decided to shrug it off. "Women are just as bad."

"This coming from a man who sleeps with them and nothing else? You are a man of infinite knowledge."

"Oh, shut up. I can be sweet. I just haven't found the right person yet."

Taking out a tube of lotion, she applied it to the boy's finger, not looking up. "Haven't found the right person, eh? Who? Your precious Melisande?"

The boy said nothing.

It came to her in a soft tone. "There is a place you can touch a woman that will drive her crazy."

Rye prepared to groan.

It never came.

"Her heart."

Silent at the unexpected answer, Rye all of a sudden, felt slightly uneasy around the redhead. Whether he was serious or not, for all she knew, this could easily have been one of his common pick up lines, deep down, Rye had a feeling he had just shared with her, something he had told no other.

He had aims of starting a family, maybe something relatively like his own.

Wrapping a Band-Aid around the boy's finger, Rye smiled, looking him in the eyes, "See. You can be sweet. Why not all the time?"

The redhead gave a huff, dusting off his pants as he came to a stand. "It's a guy thing."

Rye merely rolled her eyes.

* * *

It's a guy thing! Bwahaha. "There is no rational thought pattern connected to what I'm saying and you have no chance of making it logical." 

Though the nerd kit saved the lives of two of our lovely males, it got Tala all curious…hmmm.

Thanks to all those fanfic readers, writers, and reviewers out there. I shall come back to these happy holiday moments when I'm dying at school. I will try my best to update during the school year (there will be eighteen chapters to this fic), though the workload for us Life Sci students is disgustingly intense. I kept my promise, I managed an update every three days during this break! Whoot for me!

Please read and review!


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